A Different Warcraft: Romancing the Coffer
by CII
Summary: Agent Calia Hastings goes to Uldum to stop Schnottz from gaining access to the Coffer of Promise. However, she is joined by the the unlikeliest companion, her ex-fiancee Neltharion, aka Deathwing! This is gonna be a long night.
1. I

_Author's Notes: This story is only just a wishful idea. I know this will NEVER happen. I know they're gonna kill him off. And I know you WoW players will be getting "TEH EPIC LEWTZ!" It seems Blizzard just really hates its dragons. But just for this one story, what they plan to do will NOT happen. Yes, I realize the Coffer of Promise is also a quest and such as well. But for this story, what happened in the game, does not happen here. Oh no. This is pretty much **Warcraft of a Different Sort**!__ Enjoy._**  
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**I**

He was wrapped in darkness. The only light he could see was a small tunnel leading to the outside, to reality. He watched as that reality bent and twisted, mocking him. He could hear muffled, but recognizable voices. The one voice that spoke out to him the most was his dear sister. He saw her face through the static, defused images, twisted, scowling at him in anger. She cursed him. He still could not understand why she did. He did nothing wrong. He was innocent. It was that monster, that monster that held him in his prison. That monster...it was his fault. The monster, born from horrible tortures in his mind from voices deep within Azeroth, took control when refused to do their bidding. He felt his own consciousness rip away and then locked behind a powerful barrier. The only contact he had to the outside world was what he saw through his own eyes as the monster commanded his body to perform unspeakable acts. The Shattering was the worst of them all. Everyone called for his death now, all because of that monster.

That monster who called himself Deathwing.

Neltharion curled up into a tiny ball inside his own mind as he watched the scene play out. Deathwing commanded his body, his tattered, mockery of a body, to strike at Alexstrasza and the smaller mortal known as Thrall. All around him was the Red Dragonflight, ramming into his form, spraying forth their flames at him. Alexstrasza shouted at him something, but Neltharion could barely make it out. However, he knew her tone. It was furious. She wanted to end him, kill him, get her revenge for what Deathwing made him do...the destruction of her eggs, her enslavement and the death of her Prime Consort. And Neltharion welcomed death. At least in death, he would be freed of the monster. However, he wanted to at least have one chance of telling the Red Dragon that it was not he who hurt her, but he wanted to apologize anyway. He wanted a chance to make it up to her before he died, to tell her that he loved her as his final words. However, he knew that there would be no chance of that. So, he resigned in his mind. Neltharion leaned over and closed his eyes, no longer wanting to look upon the angered face of his dear little sister for he saw the pain his body caused her. He wanted it to be over with.

Suddenly, there was a jolt. Neltharion opened his eyes again and felt his reality shake. The tunnel vision he had flashed blinding white. This was it, he was going to die! There was a flush of coolness all around him as the binds that held him withdrew. He began to feel pain. He knew what pain was like, Deathwing constantly whipped him if he even tried to gain control without permission. For all Deathwing cared, this horrible mixture of adamantine metal and black scales belonged to him and not to Neltharion. Neltharion was just a nuisance, a burden that will soon be eliminated. However, Neltharion could never understand why he had not been completely destroyed yet. He could only come to one conclusion, he was the joke of the voices that taunted him and tormented him. They needed someone to entertain them and that was his purpose.

_Dance, pet, dance!_

_Amuse us, Earth-Warder._

_That is all you are good for._

_A joke._

_Nothing more!_

And he danced in his mind for them while Deathwing continued his acts of destruction. But now, the voices were disappearing and Deathwing's hold was weakening. Perhaps for a moment of sympathy for ten thousands of years of his bondage, they would let him one word to his sister before he died.

He could feel his body again, the wind on his back and on his wings. He could smell the fresh air of Wyrm Rest as he made his plummet. His vision became clearer, the sounds coming into his ears more distinct. He was gaining control of his body. For how long? Neltharion turned his head painfully and saw the ground suddenly rush up to him. His eyes widened and he struggled painfully to right himself. He flailed his wings and tail, trying desperately to catch the air. It had been ten thousand years since he had control of his wings, had he forgotten how to fly since then?

Then, he realized why Deathwing and the voices left him, he had served his purpose. He was of no use to them. He was nothing to them. Just as his body met with a sudden, painful stop, Neltharion resigned again. Alex would not be coming for him, not even for a quiet farewell. She would just shrug his death off. He wondered if she did the same to his dear brother and best friend Malygos as well. Did she shrug his death off too? He did not care about the fall, he just let the darkness wash over him again. This time, it was cool, inviting.

Death.

At last.

He waited for the bright light to fill his vision, the afterlife to invite him in. He hoped his afterlife would be good despite the horrible things Deathwing committed. He hoped that the Powers that Be would be understanding of him.

Still, there was darkness. Where was the afterlife?

"Deathwing..." said a familiar voice. "Neltharion."

Neltharion sniffed. He was still breathing. He let off a cough. His body was in so much pain. Neltharion opened his eyes and looked up. He saw the crimson-scaled form of Alexstrasza standing over him. Beside her was the shaman orc and ex-Warchief Thrall. Beside him was another orc with brown skin who he did not know of. However, he knew that Deathwing had entreated with her a few times. On the other side of Alexstrasza was Ysera and the new Blue Aspect Kalecgos. He passed his eyes between the group around him and his sister.

"The deaths you have caused, the fear, the pain, the agony...you caused," she said. "It has ended. Now and forever..."

She raised her claw, ready to strike, to end his life until Neltharion raised his head.

"Stop..." Neltharion said. "Don't...hurt...me...please...don't...hurt me..."

Alexstrasza stopped and then stared deep into his eyes. There was something peculiar about them. They no longer glowed with a fiery madness. In fact, instead of being the fiery orange color that they normally were, they cooled down to an emerald green. She remembered that color in his eyes, the color he had before his madness.

Much of his body also stopped glowing, though there were still some parts of him did through the splits in his scales between the plates. He stared up at her, tears beginning to form in his eyes.

"Alex...stra..sza..." Neltharion said, his voice barely making a sound. "Please...don't hurt...me...I've...suffered enough..."

"Y–you suffered enough?" Alexstrasza asked. "How dare you say that to me for what you've done! You killed my consorts, my children, you tried to mutate them into monsters, you enslaved me, you ripped Azeroth in two! You've caused mutations, sickness, and you say you've suffered?"

"Deathwing...killed your children...Deathwing...tore Azeroth apart...Deathwing enslaved...you..." said Neltharion. "Not...me...I tried...to stop him...he...hurt me. Then...he used me."

"What does he mean?" Thrall asked. "Why is he referring to Deathwing as another person?"

"How can you...blame someone else?" Alexstrasza asked.

"Because it...was someone else!" Neltharion said, forcing his voice to become a little louder. "Not me. I...I wouldn't...do these things. I would...die first. He...they...they didn't want me to die. They wanted me alive. They forced me...tormented me, stretched me...whipped me! Then, I told them no. I said no. I said I wouldn't...wouldn't work for them...do what they want...they said you would shun me. They said...you would take my position because...I'm worthless...I'm useless...no one needs me...I didn't...want to believe them. I fought them...as best as I could. Then, something happened. My body acted on its own...my voice sounded and spoke without my control. I was...doing their bidding...I made what they wanted me to make...I became...what they wanted me to become...but...I was not. My mind locked away, my body controlled by something that was born from all the fear, all the anger they made me feel towards you, towards everyone...all the hatred...the sorrow...the worthlessness...it took form in me. And it...it...controlled me." He closed his eyes tightly, letting the tears flow. "I tried to fight it...it wouldn't let me control my actions. I tried...tried to shout...to ask for help...it said...no one would believe me. I saw from my own eyes...everything it made my body do. It made you all look like...monsters...to me...to keep me afraid...to keep me subdued so...I wouldn't try to cry out for help...I'm so...scared."

He lowered his head and began to sob.

"You don't believe me..." he whispered. "No one believes me...Deathwing was right the whispers were right...I am worthless. I am in the...way. Just...do it now. Take my life...take my power...take it! I just...want to die with whatever dignity I have...left...that Deathwing didn't take."

Alexstrasza slowly lumbered over him. She had not seen him cry in such a long time. He opened those clear green eyes again. She looked deeply into them. This was not Deathwing, this was not the World Breaker, the Destroyer. This was Neltharion, the Earth-Warder. She began to realize what had transpired for ten thousand years. Deathwing and Neltharion were two different personalities. Neltharion was the main personality while Deathwing was all the negative emotion that Neltharion had inside of him amplified by the Old Gods themselves. The Old Gods had splintered Neltharion into two personalities, one that they knew they could control, while the other only served as nothing more than a memory, which held the Black Dragon together. She reached out to touch his side, surprised that his scales did not burn her. He was warm, but not as hot as a raging volcano. Still, from parts of his body where he wounds were and where some of his scales still split under the metallic plates, he oozed forth his lava-like blood.

"Why..." Neltharion began. "Why...did you not see...what was wrong? You could have stopped this if you would have seen. And I wouldn't have to had suffered. You...would have suffered. None...of this...would have happened if you..."

"We didn't know," said Alexstrasza.

"They said...if any...of you had shown any...true caring for...me...you...would have known..." he said. Then, he closed his eyes slowly only to open back up. They began to glow once more with the madness he once had. "It is too bad you never knew." His voice had changed to the one all were familiar with. Deathwing spoke once more. "You could have stopped it all before it started, Life-Binder. But there was one who...knew. One who just let it all happen. What a fool he is. With his head in the sand he would allow the inevitable to happen."

The Aspect of Death began to rise, ignoring the pain of the fall.

"Neltharion," said Ysera.

"Now that you know, I'm sure you are familiar with this phrase," said Deathwing. "Neltharion is not here."

The Black Dragon threw back his head and bellowed. Neltharion began to wrestle for control of the Black Dragon's voice and jaws from Deathwing.

"Alex...you have to kill me!" he shouted, finally gaining control of his body. "He won't stop. He won't leave! He's my creation, he...my darkness, my anger, my hate, my fears. Born from a simple concern for the safety of our world. Just a simple one, a fatherly concern of the un-nurtured ambitions of mortals. I...meant well...you know I did. I just wanted to save everyone...everyone...you...Ysera, Malygos...the mortals...save them...save everyone! But _he _does not! He doesn't care."

Neltharion got to his feet, shakily awaiting for his sister to strike.

"Neltharion..." Alexstrasza breathed.

"Kill me!"

Lava began to spew out from his jaw as he felt himself being forced to charge up his breath weapon.

"Please..."

"There is a chance to save him," said Ysera.

Alexstrasza looked upon the Awakened Ysera, her eyes sparkling with the myriad of colors. Her face seemed bright and hopeful, if not a little loopy. She cocked her head and just studied her elder brother, a childlike smile on her face.

"It's Nel's boogeyman," said Ysera. "He can be saved, but he has not to be afraid of his boogeyman."

"How can you say something like that?" asked the female orc standing beside Thrall.

"Aggra," said Thrall.

"That does not make sense," said Aggra. "Forgive me, Green Dream, you are speaking as if the Aspect of Death was a child!"

"He is a child," said Ysera. "In his mind. That is what Deathwing made him. That's what keeps Neltharion scared and helpless. That's why he says no one will believe him when he is at his worst. Only children say that because they are unsure if their elders will punish them or help them."

The Black Dragon's body shivered and his eyes glowed fiercely. But as he was about to leap upon Alexstrasza, but she reacted first. His wounds slowed him down and enabled her to pounce upon his body. She slammed both of his claws to the ground, pinning him forcefully down.

"Life-Binder!" Deathwing bellowed. "I will rip your heart out!"

"My heart has been ripped out," she said. "No thanks to you. You took my dear brother away from me, turned him into this mockery of metal and scales. You made him betray his closest friend, kill his mates or drive them insane. You made him kill my beloved and my children, and you let him watch as you performed those acts. You raped my brother, turning him into nothing more than a weakened whelp while you brought about your masters' destruction."

The Red Dragon snapped at Deathwing.

"I should kill you..." she said in a low growl.

"Kill me and you kill the pathetic Earth-Warder," chuckled Deathwing. "Of course, he's begging for death now. So, he wouldn't mind if you did."

"That is what you want, that is what _they_ want," said Alexstrasza. "They want us all dead, so they turned all of us against each other. I never knew until now the meaning behind what the words spoken when Neltharion was granted the power over Azeroth." Tears began to flow from her eyes, splashing upon Deathwing's face. "I never knew. He was the thing that held the world together. Such a burden he had, but they picked the right dragon for the job. He was the strongest of us, not in body, but in heart, mind, and soul. The Master of the World, and all the Deep Places, those deep places was the heart. His heart. They made him the heart of Azeroth. And with every beat his heart made, Azeroth replied in kind. A rhythmic drum, now off beat because of you! By breaking his heart, you broke the heart of Azeroth, the heart of us all!" Her face softened. "Neltharion, if you can hear me in there...let me know you can hear me...you heard what I said..."

She heard the sound of a thump on the ground and turned her head. The Black Dragon's right claw tapped the ground in an uncontrollable twitch. A sign. He did hear her.

"It's not too late for you," said Alexstrasza. "Not too late. Never too late."

She lowered her chest upon Deathwing's chest.

"Feel my heart, brother," she said. "Feel it. Even if you cannot feel the heart of Azeroth anymore, at least feel mine."

_I...can't...feel...anything..._

Alexstrasza gasped in a sob. Once more, Deathwing had Neltharion locked inside. The only thing he could do was see, though even that was barely anything. He could hear, but the voices were once more muffled. Neltharion knew it was too good to be true. Deathwing allowed himself to let go only long enough to get the Life-Binder close. Neltharion was just bait. However, Alexstrasza was winning.

_You are weak..._

_You are pathetic..._

_You are nothing..._

_No one cares..._

_No one loves..._

_They do not want you..._

_You are a puppet._

_You are our puppet._

_Dance for us, Neltharion!_

_Dance!_

_No!_ Neltharion shouted from within his mind. _NO!_

Deathwing felt his renewed strength as the power from the Old Gods fed into him. He flipped the Red Dragon over, tossing her aside.

"We have to stop him!" shouted Thrall. "Whether or not he can be saved. It is better to just end him. End his misery."

"We will," said Kalecgos. "Don't worry."

"You are just as weak and pathetic as the Earth-Warder, Life-Binder!" Deathwing bellowed, laughing. "But you have more life in you, more defiance. He fell so easily to us. Delicious."

He pounced upon the Red Dragon and raked his claws across her chest.

_Alex!_ Neltharion cried. _No! Leave her alone! You've gone too far!_

Deathwing grunted just as he felt a sharp pain inside his mind.

"Apparently speaking to you has given him a bit of your defiance as well, Life-Binder," he said.

"Good," she said. "Fight the madness, Neltharion. Fight him! Fight them! Don't let them win. You have a chance."

Neltharion let loose a bellow and began to close in on the darkness that surrounded him, his form glowing with a bright light.

"We all have a bad side, Neltharion," said Alexstrasza. "We need to accept that. Don't let its evil feed into you anymore. Fight him."

Deathwing reared in pain, his head aching. Neltharion once more fought for control over his body. This was his body, he was born to it, not Deathwing. He fell back, rearing and holding his head with his claws.

"You cannot get rid of me!" Deathwing bellowed. "I am apart of you!"

"You are only emotion, you are not my rational thoughts," said Neltharion, now taking control of his voice. "You are not me! I am. This body is mine, not yours!"

_No one cares about you..._

"Alex does," said Neltharion to the whispers. "Ysera does...I suppose...Kalecgos does as well. I know Malygos did."

_You are weak._

"If I was, then would I be the Earth-Warder?" asked Neltharion, pitting his logic against the whispers.

_You have not the power to save the world from its own destruction._

"Whatever destruction that will happen to this world will only be from your machinations, not the will of the mortals," said Neltharion. "And certainly not mine. My purpose is to stop that destruction. Even if that means I have to get rid of every single one of you slimy bastards!"

"You cannot possibly stand up against us," said Deathwing, wresting control of the Black Dragon's voice again.

"Not alone," said Neltharion. "But together. That is why were were made at the same time. To work together."

"You presume too much," said Deathwing. "You will never be together with the others. They hate you for all that you've done. We are your only company and you will die along with us."

"My misery..." Neltharion felt himself withdraw again back into the darkness. He tried. He was so tired from trying.

Thrall stood and watched the internal struggle, seeing the change in pitch the Black Dragon Aspect's voice gave off each time both personalities spoke. Deathwing's much deeper voice was grating and horrible to the ears where as Neltharion's was soft, kind, and gentle. But it was afraid, he could hear that. There really was two beings living in one body. One being, Deathwing, had the power of the Old Gods behind him and in that, he was stronger than Neltharion. Neltharion, after ten thousand years of submission and torment, had forgotten his own strength. Then, Thrall recalled the voice in his own head, the voice the Spirit of the Earth allowed him to hear when he was granted a bit of Neltharion's power for one split moment. He remembered in that instant, he did feel Neltharion as well helping him, the part of him not totally gone, the part that still fought just to exist in that metallic shell. That power was a great force indeed. Neltharion did not have the power over the earth, no, it was more than that. The Black Dragon had the power over the very ecology of the planet. He was Azeroth, its ground, it's sky, it's water, and of course, the molten core that flowed outward renewing soil so that life may grow. For Azeroth to be a planet to support life, Neltharion controlled the air around them, making it breathable. He gave water to drink for plants, for mortals as well, and used the water to mold and shape the earth. The surface of the earth was also granted by the Earth-Warder soil for which plants could be grown and cultivated. Then, for the deep places, he controlled the veins in the rocks to make sure there was resources of all sorts, plentiful so that no race fought over them. Because of that, he created peace for Azeroth. As Deathwing, he created war by taking away these gifts. That was Neltharion's base power, but then there was the power within, the power Thrall felt each time he connected to the earth. He felt he was connecting to the heart of every living being on Azeroth. He was connecting to the beating heart of the Earth-Warder.

Azeroth could go without the Steward of Magic for a little while until another one was chosen, but he feared what would happen if the Earth-Warder was killed and no one was there to take up the power. Would Azeroth itself just shatter completely? Thrall stepped forward, he knew exactly what to do. Yes, spare the Earth-Warder, but kill Deathwing. He knew how to do it. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to drift, becoming one with the Earth Spirit. He could hear the beating heart of Azeroth inside himself beating in time with his own. That was Neltharion's heart!

_Neltharion..._he began, trying desperately to get in contact with the struggling soul inside of Deathwing. _Your heart. I can hear your heart. Listen to it as I have. I've listened to it. It is...beautiful. Strong. You are...strong. The Earth Spirit that I called upon that day...that was you. I called you. You are in me and I am in you._

_Strong?_ Thrall caught the sound of Neltharion's own mental voice inside of his mind. No, it was not in his mind, he heard it with his heart.

_Can you hear my heart beat with yours? _Thrall asked.

_My heart...and yours...beat together...the song, do you hear the song?_

The song he knew very well. It was the song all who could connect to the earth heard. The song of Azeroth itself.

_It brought me so much joy, _said Neltharion.

Outside of their minds, Alexstrasza and Deathwing along with Kalecgos and Ysera continued to fight. However, both did not care, they were one in both heart and mind.

_I used to hear Azeroth sing, _said Neltharion. _And I always had a smile on my face. Alexstrasza said I was just as merry as Malygos once, only with more snark._

Thrall allowed himself to laugh. The Earth-Warder had a sense of humor. If only Thrall had known him before the madness, before the split personality that created Deathwing. He almost saw himself just sitting down at a tavern with Neltharion and Malygos, sharing a pint and telling stories. These emotions Neltharion had, these were the emotions he wanted to get in contact with.

_Then, the Old Gods whispered to me,_ Neltharion said, his voice growing dark. Thrall could hear the hint of sadness and the pain. _They brought discord to the song. It was...awful. I cried each night. Then, I lost touch with my sisters and brothers. They did not see the change. They just thought I was being eccentric. They were blind. They...don't care about me. No one cares. I saw what the mortals were doing, and I feared for their safety for the mortals were the only ones who still cared about me. I began to see mortals as my family besides my flight. I just wanted to protect them. That's all. I didn't want them to hurt themselves. The Old Gods twisted those loving thoughts into what is now Deathwing who believes that only Black Dragons are superior. How callous he is. He turned my loving desire to protect the mortals who lived on the earth I ruled over into acts of genocide. I am so ashamed._

_Don't be ashamed, _said Thrall. _You were doing what was best for everyone. You are right, not every mortal is wise enough to know when to quit. Sometimes what we do is harmful not only to ourselves, but to the people we love. All I wanted was to promote peace between two races because I know the follies of both. Don't listen to the Old Gods. Don't listen to the fears they give you. And don't be afraid of Deathwing. He is nothing more than a scary shadow created by the Old Gods to keep you trapped in darkness. It's time for you to awaken. As Ysera said, don't be afraid of the boogeyman. Now, let the strength of my heart and the heart of Azeroth find you, give you bravery. Do what you need to do to protect your world. You are Azeroth!_

Neltharion heard the sound of the beating heart in sync with his. He could feel his strength renewing. His fears were slowly falling away. Then, he stared back at the darkness. He could hear the muffled sounds of the other Aspects as they battled Deathwing.

_I am not afraid of you, _he said to the darkness around him.

_I am busy at the moment, insolent whelp, _Deathwing growled back. _Go back to your corner._

_Yes, back in your corner, pet!_

_We grow tired of you..._

Neltharion felt a swipe across his jaw as the darkness slapped him. But he did not move. He stood there as strong, as stately, as solid as the stone that made up Azeroth.

_I said I AM NOT AFRAID OF YOU! Now, you will vacate my head!_

With that shout, Deathwing lost control of the body just as Neltharion slashed at him. There was a horrible sound, a thousand screeches of nails upon a metallic surface. He leapt upon Deathwing and held him close. The two slowly began to merge within each other, becoming once more one mind inside of one body. There was no distinction between the two anymore. He was Neltharion again. Then, when all was silenced, Neltharion felt that he was slowly regaining control. However, unfortunately, he was in the air once more. His wings faltered and he desperately flapped them. He could not keep himself aloft. With that, he dropped like a stone.

"Alex!" he bellowed out.

Alexstrasza caught herself, realizing that was Neltharion's voice calling for her. She, Kalecgos, and Ysera all dove towards the falling Earth-Warder. Ysera reached out and took hold of his bladed, adamantine tail while Alexstrasza and Kalecgos caught him by his shoulders. They slowly eased his descent to the ground. The three dragons laid the enormous Black down onto the grass. Neltharion laid upon his back, his wings sprawled out around him. He reclined up slightly, laying his head upon a rock. His chest heaved in and out. Wounds once more continued to ooze out their lava from within his molten core. Some of the plates that were on his body were ripped off during the fight and the splits in his scales also bled.

"Deathwing is dead..." Neltharion said in finality.

"Is it true now?" Alexstrasza asked.

"Well, he was never alive to begin with," said Neltharion. "He was...just a part of me...now is apart of me, the bad part of me. Now, there is just me."

"Will you try to destroy Azeroth?"

"Why would I destroy myself?" Neltharion asked. He sighed and his eyes became downcast. "I am tired though...sad and tired."

"You think I am going to kill you," the Life-Binder began. "You are sadly mistaken. I cannot let you die, not yet, Earth-Warder. You may have been cured, but many members of your flight has not."

"They'll come around," said Neltharion. "After all, it was my madness that lead them down that path."

His face twisted and his eyes shut tightly as he felt a stinging sensation in them. He opened his eyes again and glanced upon his body, seeing the metal plates welded to his black scales. The plates on his chest split apart, revealing the dripping, burning, molten core inside. He was so bloated, so enormous he was surprised he could even move. He was by far more massive than the three other Aspects that looked upon him, his body longer, his horns bigger. But it was his mass that made him so enormous compared to them. Though some would equate his mass to power, it was more of a weakness. Like the mortals who suffered obesity, his bloated body caused him much problems, which was why he had plates welded to him. Now, all he wanted to do was rip those ugly plates from his body even if that meant he would ripping himself apart as well with the continuing expanding of his body.

"Oh, look what I've done to myself," he said. "Look. These horrible plates. My body. I used to be so...slender, graceful. I'm...fat! They did this to me. They mutilated my body!"

He slowly rose up, lifting a claw to his face to feel his metallic chin.

"What...happened to me?" he asked.

"Um, well, that metal chin," began Ysera as she lumbered over to him, propping his head up on her green-scaled shoulder. "I don't know if you remember, but a few years back after we destroyed the Demon Soul, I punched you in the jaw and broke it."

"Which is probably not the best idea to remove that brace," said Kalecgos.

Neltharion leaned against her, his breath breaking into a sob. Tears continued to flow freely from his eyes as he wept, a show of sorrow that Deathwing prevented him to have. He was not allowed to weep. Freed from Deathwing's hold, Neltharion could finally cry. Alexstrasza leaned down to inspect his body.

I can heal some of it," she said. "And have those plates removed, but I cannot heal everything."

"After all that I've done, would you want to?" Neltharion asked, focusing his now cleared, glistening green eyes on her.

"I am the Queen of Life," said Alexstrasza. "It is my duty to preserve that life, even one who has been brought back from his fall from grace. I cannot restore you to what you were once, but I can take away many of the plates you have now. For one, I can heal your chest." She turned her great head back to Thrall and Aggra. "However, I will need some help."

"Of course," said Thrall as he and Aggra approached the massive black body of Neltharion. They reached out and concentrated, combining their own energies with the Red Dragon. Alexstrasza touched his chest and then dug her claws deep under the plates. Neltharion growled as he felt the pain of the adamantine armor being ripped from his chest, allowing it to expand out fully. One by one, she tore away. The Black Dragon jerked and writhed. Ysera held onto him, laying her head on top of his, trying to comfort him. As the Great Red tore away, sparks of orange and gold flowed out from her mouth upon his body. The golden glow flowed out as well from Thrall and Aggra. The enormous gash that split Neltharion's chest wide slowly began to close up, his natural armored plates reforming over the wound. Finally, Alexstrasza let the last adamantine plate drop just as Neltharion's chest zipped up. She started working on the other plates as well, tearing them free and healing the rips in his scales. However, not all of the rips could be healed. His body was too far damaged and she was too weak to tackle it all in one go. She gasped and placed a claw on Neltharion's thick chest. The Black Dragon still wept. Ysera held him tightly, rocked him in her forelegs.

"Are you going to have good dreams tonight, big brother?" she asked.

Neltharion looked up at her, staring into her multicolored, faceted eyes. They whirled their rainbow hues in joy and delight at him. Neltharion pressed his head up against her chest, giving into his baby sister's embrace. Alexstrasza felt her own tears well up in her eyes as her bottom, scaly lip trembled. There he was, after ten thousand years of enslavement in his own body by his own fears and dark emotion, her brother had returned to her. She let loose all of her own feelings she had for him, everything and then threw herself upon his chest, wrapping her forelegs as far as they could go around it. All around her, her remaining flight dipped their heads, feeling their queen's sorrow in their own hearts.

"I've never seen dragons cry so much," said Aggra.

"After all they've been through," said Thrall. "They deserve to cry."

He turned back to Kalecgos who just stood there in silent vigil over the two female Aspects and their long lost brother.

"You're not going to join them?" he asked, walking over to the new Blue Aspect.

"Thrall, I was a whelp barely out of my egg when it was reported that Neltharion betrayed Malygos and destroyed much of our flight," said Kalecgos. "I know that is not Deathwing, but it is hard to not see him as Deathwing since that is all I've ever known. This...this will take some getting used to. I will tell the rest of my flight that the Earth-Warder has been redeemed, but, even without most of his armor, all I see is Deathwing."

"It's the chin," said Aggra with a smirk. "He'll never get rid of that chin."

"A brace to fix his broken jaw," said Kalecgos. He snorted and shook his head. "I will try to see him as Neltharion instead of Deathwing. I will try. But if he sets foot in my lands uninvited..."

"Something tells me you'll give him a good boot to the tail," said Thrall.

"A small one," said Kalecgos, turning to the orc and a toothy, sheepish grin appeared upon his snout. The smile faded when he turned back to the other three Aspects. Neltharion was tired. His eyes were closed and his face relaxed. Silvery, dried, salty lines came from his eyes and down his cheeks. He had cried himself to sleep. Ysera patted his head.

"His dreams are sad," she said. "But they are not terrifying like they used to be. One thing I would never do was visit Deathwing when he slept. He was even more terrifying asleep than he was awake. But Neltharion...such sad dreams. Regret, that is what he is feeling. Regret." She looked up at Alexstrasza just as her eyes began to close as well. "Keep an eye on him, Alex. I fear for him. Deathwing may be gone, but the emotional trauma he had caused has not. Healing the body is easy, healing his soul...that is different."

With that, she slowly lowered his head back onto the ground. Then, she nuzzled his cheek. Then, Ysera and the members of her own Dragonflight vanished in a flash of brilliant green.

"Ysera the Awakened has once more gone back to sleep," said Alexstrasza. "Just as well, she has a lot of work to do in order to fix the damage of the Emerald Nightmare."

She lifted a claw to her eye and wiped it free from her tears. Then, she looked back at Neltharion. Her head dipped down and turned towards her own flight.

"The Earth-Warder stays with us," she announced broadly. "I know many of you will protest this, but it is for the best. We can keep an eye on him, make sure that the entity that is Deathwing is completely gone. Also, we can protect him from those who would do harm to him."

"Who would do that?" asked a Red Drake.

"Deathwing's former allies," said Alexstrasza. "Without Deathwing to lead them, they will be wondering what to do next. And if they find out that he has betrayed them by becoming Neltharion again, we will have our hands full. They'll be coming for him. No doubt the Old Gods did not only speak to Deathwing, but they spoke to the others working for him. They may be informing them as we speak." She lowered her head. "I know many of you do not trust him. I understand this. But we must show him kindness...kindness that we did not show him before. We could have helped him then, we could have seen the signs of his growing madness, but we refused to. We were blind. I owe it to him at least."

There was a hesitant agreement among her flight, but at least they were satisfied that they could watch over him to make sure he behaves himself. Thrall and Aggra also nodded in agreement. It was the best thing for the Black Dragon. He would have to relearn things that he had lost after being locked away inside his own mind for so many centuries. Thrall noticed he had even the slightest bit of trouble keeping himself aloft, flailing his wings about. However, his time at Wyrm's Rest had ended. He had saved Azeroth from Deathwing at least. Still, there was much to do, other agents of the Old Gods to deal with. The Elementals for one. He walked towards Kalecgos.

"I was wondering if you would oblige Aggra and I a ride back to the Earthen Ring, Kalecgos," he said.

"Of course," said Kalecgos. "It would be an honor, friend Thrall."

"You will not stay?" asked Alexstrasza.

"There is still much I have to do, Dragon Queen," said Thrall. "Much of Azeroth needs to be healed and until the Earth-Warder is ready to take on that task, we of the Earthen Ring will have to do what we can."

He turned towards the resting body of Neltharion.

"I suppose it'll be a while before he will be ready again."

"We will do what we can to heal him," said Alexstrasza. "I thank you once more, friend Thrall. You've healed my heart when it was broken by death of my children and my mate, now, you've brought back my brother from the darkness that threatened to consume him. And with the Earth-Warder's return, there is hope for Azeroth. We are five Aspects again, strong, we can protect the world once more."

"If Nozdormu is correct," began Thrall. "You'll be back down to four again."

"Four is better than three," the Life-Binder said in a sorrowful sigh. "Neltharion was the wisest of us all. Maybe he can talk some sense into the Time Lord."

"Maybe," said Thrall. "But given how big and strong he is in his present state, giving old Nozdormu a good smack around wouldn't hurt as well."

The Dragon Queen laughed and leaned down to hold Neltharion close to her again.

"You don't know Neltharion," she said. "He was big back then, but he was also the most peaceful of us. The friendly, gentle giant, if you will. The very idea of raising a claw to anyone baffled him."

"Hard to believe that gentle giant became the embodiment of destruction," said Thrall.

Kalecgos lowered himself for Aggra to get on his back. Thrall followed her.

"I wish you well," said Alexstrasza. "And you as well, Kalecgos. You are always welcome here."

"Thank you," said Kalecgos. He dipped his head in respect and she returned the gesture. Then, he spread his enormous wings and took off, the two orcs holding onto his scales as tightly as they could.

Alexstrasza looked back down at Neltharion and held him close again. She folded a wing over his body and settled herself beside him, purring softly. Though she lost much in this war, at least she regained her brother.


	2. II

**II**

She could not believe how much damage her brother had sustained, or Wyrm Rest has sustained. Her flight was busy rebuilding with some help of sympathetic mortal allies. At the same time, they were also repairing many of Neltharion's metal plates that were damaged. Because those plates could not be removed, it was just best to repair them. The Great Black was asleep, had been asleep for quite some time since the rebuilding began. Alexstrasza pulled him out of the way for them to continue to to repair the temple. She laid him beside the temple , near a pool of water that had thawed from light of the sun. His plates were polished, his scales were shined. He looked at peace resting n the temple. Alexstrasza ran her claw down his side and took in a deep breath.

He was polished, cleaned, and shined. No more the soot and ash and dirt he received while as Deathwing. She could have sworn she heard him purr. He was at peace. Neltharion began to stir a bit and his eyes slowly fluttered open. He lifted his head up and turned to his younger sister.

"What...what happened?" he said in a weak voice.

"We've moved you to the side of the temple," said Alexstrasza. "So you can rest easier while we continue with the repairs."

"How long I was out?" Neltharion asked, lifting his head slightly up.

"Several days," said Alexstrasza. "It made it easier for us to repair some of the damage plates and polish and shine them...and you."

"You cleaned me up and fixed me?" he asked. "Why?"

"Because you needed it," said Alexstrasza. "You needed to be cleaned of the evil you caused, which bore itself upon your scales like the plates grafted on your body."

"Who repaired the plates?" he asked.

"Many of our mortal allies that we called upon to help us," she replied.

Neltharion got up to his shaking feet and shivered.

"Come," said Alexstrasza. "Come see what they did for you. Your scales are as shiny as the surface of polished onyx, like they once were. It's like I am looking at the Neltharion of old once more...a joyful past that always made me smile."

Neltharion slowly lumbered towards the reflecting pool at the center of the temple and knelt down to see his own reflection. There, rippling through the water was his face, partially hidden by the metallic brace on his lower jaw. His scales were polished and they shined much like the steel-gray adamantine plates that dotted here and there. Though, his body was still bloated, his neck overly thick, his forelegs and hind legs densely muscled to out of proportion. His forearm was wider than Alexstrasza's waist. His wings were wider than he was long, however, his length itself was twice that of his sister. He was not the Neltharion of old, no matter how much they polished him. There was still the hint of what Deathwing left behind upon him, glowing rips in his body still being held together by the metallic plates. Though the rips were not as big as they once were, they were still very much visible. Heat from his molten core escaped from them causing the air to ripple like a mirage.

"You can polish a piece of shit, but it's still shit," Neltharion growled in disgust at his own reflection. He slammed his fist into the water, splashing it out until his refection became distorted.

"Neltharion!" Alexstrasza shouted. "Language! How could you say that about yourself?"

"I learned that from Deathwing," said the Earth-Warder. "Why would they help me? Why would I deserve their help, even for the simple gesture of washing me free of the soot of my sins? What have done to deserve it?"

Alexstrasza lowered her head.

"Nothing," Neltharion decided to answer his own question. "I've done _nothing_ but cause them their misery." He looked back at his clearing reflection. "I heard what Kalecgos said even in my subconscious. I know what he meant by that. They know nothing else. They don't know Neltharion, they only know Deathwing. Besides a certain few, most that exist today, even among the Dragonflights, only know me as Deathwing. Neltharion is a memory!"

"Neltharion is you," said Alexstrasza. "You said it yourself."

"I know who I am," he said. "I know. But do they? Do they see me as Neltharion? No. No one does. I am still Deathwing to them!" He lowered his head and began to weep. "That monster is gone, but his deeds still haunt me."

"You think it'll be easy?" Alexstrasza asked. "We can't go back to the way things were. Look at your body, I can't even make it look like it was centuries ago. But I did my best. I look into your eyes, I don't see Deathwing anymore, I see you. I missed those emerald green eyes, so kind, so gentle. That is what I see."

Neltharion rumbled, his eyes growing downcast. Alexstrasza came up to him, leaned against his chest and wrapped her wings around him.

"What am I going to do?" he asked.

"You are the Earth-Warder," she replied. "That is your duty. You must present yourself to Azeroth as such again. People will learn to trust you once more."

"Will they?" he asked.

"I know they will," she replied. "But these things take time. Rest, dear brother Connect with the mortal allies we have here. Talk with them, let them see you for you."

Neltharion lowered his head as he lowered to the ground. He closed his eyes, curling up again.

"Get up!" Alexstrasza shouted. "You're not going to lay around all day."

"I just awoke from a several-day coma and you want me to move around?" Neltharion asked.

"I'm asking you to assist in the building," said the Life-Binder. "But I do want you to do something. If you feel tired later on, you can come back for a nap. But I think you've slept enough at least for now. You need to get to know your body again. You haven't been in control of it for ten thousand years."

Neltharion rose, attempting to straighten out his back as he got to his feet. He could feel the weight of his bloated form. Despite the muscle mass he had gained through his transformation inflicted by the Old Gods and Deathwing, he could not compensate. His brain was sending out signals, still believing it was in a much slender, much smaller form. He breathed heavily, his breath having a slight wheezing sound to it.

"I'm...so heavy..." he said. "It was no wonder I could barely fly. I don't know how Deathwing does it."

"He got used to it, I suppose," said Alexstrasza. "And it was rather gradual...the mass growth, I mean. With you, it is different. You're not used to the size, the girth..."

"Just say it," said Neltharion, sneering with his fangs. "Just say it. I'm fat. I'm a bloated, obese monstrosity. I'm so fat I can hardly even move around."

"I'm not saying that," said Alexstrasza. "Stop it with the self-pity!"

She took hold of him, bringing his snout close to her so she could look deeply into his eyes.

"Listen to me, Neltharion," she began. "You have a job to do. You have your duties, you have Azeroth to care for. It's time to throw away what Deathwing did. You must connect with its people again. Things have changed, the people have changed. We have changed. I believe in you, Neltharion. Please, enough of the self-pity. Give us a chance too as well as yourself."

Neltharion shifted his massive bulk and leaned into her snout, pressing it to his. Then, he tore away and slowly lumbered his enormous body away from the base of the temple. He could feel the ground buckling and cracking and trembling with every step he took. He was so heavy, even for the ground upon which he stood. His wings drooped slightly. His head was low as if the weight of that metallic jaw was preventing him from holding it up. The weight of his massive horns was enough to cause some distress in his neck. However, it was not the physical weight that bothered him the most, it was the heaviness of the sorrow in his heart. Neltharion took in a deep breath, stepping out onto the snow and ice. He heard the sound of his heavy feet cracking the frozen landscape and it only made his heart fall even more. He used to be so light.

He looked around the temple at the Red Dragons and various mortal allies as they continued to rebuild Wyrmrest Temple. These mortals were friendly to Alexstrasza and her flight, almost considering her family to them. For that, she cared for all of them. He saw some Alliance banners, a few Horde banners, but mostly these mortals were neutral to either. The Red Dragons were neighbors and as kindly neighbors, they were only here to help. They stopped, though, when they saw the massive Black Aspect rising and then walking out to peer up at their work. His keen ears could hear the sounds of frightful murmurs and a few times he heard the name "Deathwing" being spoken. His head drooped even more. That was all they knew of him, Deathwing. Not Neltharion.

"Stop calling me Deathwing," he softly murmured to himself.

He turned then to Alexstrasza who held a beaming expression. Neltharion sighed and slowly walked away, head hung low, tail dragging on the ground. The metallic tail blade attached to the tip carved a long gash in the snow as he moved away from the temple. Alexstrasza's bright expression fell as well when she saw Neltharion slowly saunter away.

"Oh...Neltharion..." she said, shaking her head.

Neltharion continued to lumber away from the temple, dragging his enormous feet over the snow. The sounds of work continued once he had gotten a fair good distance away. His very presence gave them so much fear that they could not focus on their tasks. Neltharion slowly turned over to one of the Dragonshrines. He could smell the scent of brimstone and smoke coming over the ledge where the Dragonshrine was. This was the Obsidian Dragonshrine, the place where his own flight would go to be laid to rest. By magic, by energy, by any sort of will, his flight would always find their way here in their death. Before him was a valley of blackened earth and volcanic vents. Lava flowed in rivers, etching around the shrine. Above loomed a rather massive caldera, constantly spewing forth its lava from below. Neltharion slowly entered the shrine. No one guarded it. He suspected so since Deathwing called all of the Black Dragonflight to him for the war. Now, with them scattered, they had forgotten this place.

There laying in haphazard places were the skeletons of his once glorious flight, the guardians and stewards of Azeroth itself. Neltharion's brow rose as he felt his eyes well up again. He shivered despite the heat from the volcano keeping his body warm. Two particular tattered forms of Black Wyrms lay near the center of the shrine. He slowly began to approach them. He knew their forms very well and his head dipped even lower. Onyxia and Nefarian, his children. Then, laying beside them was the burnt, scared, and very much dead form of his Prime Consort, Sintharia. Neltharion lowered himself to the blackened, ash-covered ground near Sintharia's still form, extending his enormous wing around her. The sounds of his breath broken by his sobs echoed in the shrine itself.

"Sintharia," he whispered. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I hurt you...I raped you. The joy of mating should have been that, but...Deathwing...I...why...why...what did I do to deserve this? Why punish me? Why punish them? Why punish us? Why make us hurt so much?"

He lifted his head and turned to the rest of the skeletons of his nearly extinct flight. Many of them were in fact the other consorts he killed in his maddened libido. Deathwing had raped and killed them in his act of dominance and lustful desire. Only Sintharia survived, scared, marred, and filled with vengeance for what he did to her. And then Deathwing used her again without her knowledge. She was nothing more than his pawn. Neltharion returned to Sintharia's corpse lying still in the shrine. He curled his massive, bloated body around hers as best as he could and continued to weep. Neltharion laid his metallic jaw over Sintharia's neck.

"Everyone I loved in my flight," he whispered. "Gone...gone because of me. No...because of Deathwing. I am a monster. I should die...die right here with my flight. Then, we will all be together again."

As his tears began to flow out his eyes, hitting the ground. As his tears splashed upon the blacken rock, a rumble from the earth sounded, trembling the surface. Suddenly, his tears collected into a forming pool of water near the center of the shrine itself. The water was fresh and it steamed with inviting warmth. It was a hot spring. As the hot spring brought forth its warmth from underground, tiny green plants began to shout out from the blackened soil not at all hindered by the noxious fumes near the volcano. From death became life. The plants were small, but they were plentiful, growing strong around the edge of the hot spring pool.

"Earth-Warder..." came a rather sultry voice behind him. He lifted his head, tears streaming down his eyes. Behind him at the entrance of the shrine itself was a blue dragon.

"What do you want?" Neltharion asked.

"The Life Queen wishes for you to join her back at the temple," said the female blue dragon.

"I was just there," said Neltharion. "Just let me mourn my family in peace."

"You have given them a gift, Earth-Warder," said the blue dragon. "A lovely place to rest peacefully now."

Neltharion turned to the hot spring his tears had formed. Tears continued to flow from his eyes. He then passed his eyes back to his deceased Prime Consort. Laying a claw upon her body, he patted her neck. He rose up from the ground and slowly lumbered over to the blue dragon.

"I'm sorry," he said deeply. "For Malygos. I'm sorry for what I did to him. He was my best friend. And I betrayed him."

The blue dragon dipped her head.

The two dragons slowly began to walk back to the temple. The blue dragon took off, flying above as Neltharion dragged his feet along the snow. He could not even fly. Neltharion finally approached the temple, seeing Alexstrasza standing at the entrance. The magnificent Red Dragon was standing with shoulders back, wings slightly expanded. Still, her eyes were sad when she looked upon her brother.

"You wanted to see me, sister?" he asked.

"Did you go visit your shrine?" she asked.

"Yes," he replied. Neltharion's eyes lowered and his head followed. His right claw patted the ground. "I did. All of them dead, dead because of me. My mate...my children." He then look up at Alexstrasza. "And your mate, your children. I am so sorry."

"I know you are," she said.

"I am a burden on you," said Neltharion. "I can't fly, I'm barely able to move right now, and I see them staring at me...your flight...the mortals...everyone...staring...watching. 'What's he gonna do next? Is he going to eat us? Is he going to destroy us? Is he going to kill Alexstrasza?' They don't trust me. You don't trust me. I know why. I can't complain...I don't have the right to."

"Deathwing..." began Alexstrasza. "Please..."

"What did you call me?" Neltharion asked.

Alexstrasza gasped.

"You called me Deathwing," he said.

"I didn't mean..."

"You see me as Deathwing too!" said Neltharion. "You all see me as Deathwing! I can't escape him, even in his death."

His lip trembled. Neltharion looked up at the workers. They watched him, scrutinized him. Lowering his head again, his eye became downcast. Then, he focused upon them, his expression faded to sincerity, but also showed the deep sorrow in his heart. He folded his wings around him, his tail curling about his body.

"I am sorry," he said. "For everything, for nearly destroying Azeroth. The whispers. They tormented me. They made me do these things. I...I never wanted to harm anyone. I only wanted to protect everyone. They turned those desires against you, they twisted my need to protect you. I am sorry. I cannot give back what I took. I can only serve Azeroth as I did before the Old Gods enslaved me and turned me into Deathwing."

He shut his eyes tightly.

"I don't want you to see me as Deathwing," he said. "Don't see me as Deathwing. I am Neltharion, I am the Guardian of Azeroth, my duty is to you, my existence is to act as you will me to. But I cannot do my job if there is hate for me. I will give of myself as I had done in the past. Even if that means I will have to find a way to do so! I will serve those who need me, I will seek out those who are in need of me. I will go where I am needed the most."

With that, Neltharion rose up onto his feet and then darted off, running as fast as he could to distance himself from Wyrmrest Temple.

"Neltharion!" Alexstrasza shouted. She turned to her own flight. "Fly after him!"

Neltharion looked back as he galloped across the snowy plain. He saw a group of red and blue dragons flying after him. Turning around, he planted his feet onto the ground. Neltharion reared back onto his hind legs and extended his wings. With one quick flap, he sent forth a severe gush of wind. The dragons scattered, becoming caught in the violent gust. At this moment of distraction, Neltharion continued on, running from the two different flights. He extended his wings again. Readying for the leap into the air, he sped up his legs. Then, he leapt forth and begin the first downbeat. He gave his wings a flap and awkwardly leveled himself out. His magnificent wings helped him glide across the warm thermals as he flew over the icy wasteland. His flight was low though, he was hesitant whether or not he could even go any higher safely. Neltharion did not trust his mind in controlling his wings. He called up his old memories of what it was like to fly, but those memories only reflected a time when he was much smaller, much slender, and certainly not the bloated behemoth of black scales and adamantine plates that he is now. His wings managed to take him several leagues though before giving out just at the Borea River. Neltharion tried to angle them as best as he could to make the landing smoother, but ultimately, he fumbled right onto the ground. The Black Aspect panted, his hot breath coming out like steam from his mouth. His keen ears picked up the sounds of wings flapping. Above him was another group of dragons, this time comprising mostly of blue dragons. Neltharion lifted his head up, still breathing hard. His body shook from the impact, his heart pounded against the walls of his chest. Scooping up some snow, formed it into a ball in his massive claws. Then, with one heave, he tossed the ball at one of the blue dragons. The drake spun away from the snowy ball, dodging it effortlessly.

"Get out of here!" Neltharion bellowed. "Leave me alone! Just–just go away! I don't need you, I don't need Alexstrasza or her flight. She said I should do my job and I will do it! I'll make up the time that I didn't, all those centuries of torment Deathwing did. I'll make Azeroth forget him, he'll be the memory and I'll be the only one to exist. No one will call me Deathwing again!"

"You are still ill, Earth-Warder," said one of the blue dragons. "You should return to the Life-Binder. She can make you feel better."

"To hell with her!" Neltharion shouted. "I don't need her help. I don't want her help. She called me Deathwing. She looks at me with pity. I'm pathetic, I'm useless. I'm a burden! Not anymore! I'm going to fix this. I'm going to fix Azeroth. I'm going to fix all that I broke. Even if it kills me in the process, I will fix the world I broke. I will help the people who I hurt. If I have to bleed for them to make things better, then I will."

Neltharion padded off from them, stumbling several times over himself due to the exhaustion from flying. He stumbled over, crashing onto the snow with his side. Neltharion rose up and started off again, desperately trying to make his feet move fast enough away from the blue dragons and fast enough to again get him aloft. They still flew after him. Neltharion stopped, his enormous body falling back to the ground again. His form trembled, his head swam. He curled his black form up as tightly as he could, foldings his wings over it. His tail coiled around his legs. The blue dragons landed, circling him. Neltharion just coiled tighter when he sensed them approaching him. Then, he felt something massive fly over him. His vision swam around as he looked up, distorted by his tears and his delirium.

_Why, Neltharion, what are you doing here?_

Neltharion turned his throbbing head to the familiar, jolly voice. His eyes squinted, but his vision would not clear. Though, for a moment he thought saw the form of a familiar, enormous, blue dragon perched before him.

_I am so happy you've come to visit me! It's been such a long time. We rarely have these visits anymore._

"M-Malygosss..." Neltharion asked, his voice weakened by his attempted escape from Dragonblight.

_Why of course it's Malygos! Who else would it be than your old friend and brother Malygos? By the Titans, what have you done to yourself? Are you well? You worry me sometimes, you know, Neltharion._

"You're...dead..."

_Oh, no I'm not. Why would I be? What would the Magic of Azeroth do without me? Get those crazy thoughts out of your head, old friend. The others might think you're loosing it or something._

Neltharion felt a slight chuckle come on when he heard that. The sheer irony of that statement was almost amusing.

_Can't have the Earth-Warder loose it. You're the one we all turn to for advise. You're the one we turn to the most...if you lost it, I don't know what we'd do..._

"Neltharion!" called another voice, one he did recognize, but he knew it was not Malygos'.

"Malygosss..." Neltharion said, looking upon the enormous form of the magnificent Blue Dragon. The dragon reached over and took hold of him, lifting his body up slightly

"I'm not Malygos, Neltharion," said the Blue Dragon. "I'm Kalecgos. I'm the new Blue Aspect. Wake up, Neltharion."

"My Lord," began one the blue dragons. "We should take him to the Nexus for Alexstrasza to pick up later."

"Malygosss...I'm...so sorry..."

_Sorry for what, old friend?_

"I hurt you," Neltharion replied to the ghostly voice. "I hurt you."

_I know you are. I...should have been there for you. I should have seen the signs. I should have realized that you needed my friendship the most. Maybe, it would have stopped Deathwing._

Neltharion's blank eyes welled up with tears. He was not looking at Kalecgos, he was just looking at the air itself. But his eyes focused on the apparition that he spoke to.

"Who is he talking to?" asked another blue dragon.

"I don't know," said Kalecgos. "Come, we go to the Nexus, and the Earth-Warder comes with us."

"If he goes mad again, then we do what we must do," said a third blue dragon. "We cannot let Deathwing rise again."

"He's not mad," said Kalecgos. "He's weak, delirious, and grief-stricken."

It did not take much effort for all of them to teleport back to the Nexus in Coldarra. The Nexus itself was a magnificent structure of arcane power and ice. Glowing shafts of blue-white energy flowed out between the magically suspended rings. Arcane glyphs dotted the sides of the structures, glowing blue with power. Kalecgos appeared in a flash of blue light with Neltharion in his forelegs. He laid the Earth-Warder upon the largest of the suspended platforms and looked over the enormous Black Dragon. The rest of the blue dragons appeared, each one taking a spot on each of the floating platforms.

"Neltharion," said Kalecgos. "Neltharion..."

"...so sorry...Malygos..." Neltharion whispered, lifting a claw up to Kalecgos. Kalecgos took it.

"I'm not Malygos," he said. "Neltharion."

Neltharion's eyes rolled back and then, his body became limp as his mind slipped into unconsciousness.

"The flight took a lot out of him," said Kalecgos to his Dragonflight. "I didn't realize how weak he was."

"We should return him back to Alexstrasza," suggested one of the blue dragons. Kalecgos turned to the blue dragon.

"Perhaps, Androgos," he said. "Perhaps. However, why would he run away from her? Especially in his condition?"

"They had an argument," said another blue dragon. "She called him Deathwing."

"Deathwing doesn't like being called Deathwing," said Androgos.

"I suppose the only thing we can do right now is let him rest," said Kalecgos. "Then, once he awakens and is at least conscious enough to answer questions, we will ask them."

"Many thousands of years ago, that is what we used to do when Malygos would bring us to the Earth-Warder," began a soft voice. Kalecgos looked up to find a lovely blue dragon perched on one of the higher tiers. She was Haleh, consort to Malygos. "None knew the answers to the most baffling inquiries...not like Neltharion. Now, I fear, in this state, he'll make less sense than he did when he convinced Malygos to help him create the Demon Soul."

"...Malygosss..." Neltharion whispered under his breath as he slept.

"I will keep watch over him," said Kalecgos. "It is my duty after all. He is an Aspect and so am I."

0

_He heard the frightened scream of the child and raced for it. A child was in trouble, a child was in need, a child needed him to protect her. That was his job, he was the protector. He always took it upon himself to make sure the land was safe. This time, it was not. He stopped just before the child, seeing her bent over, weeping in her hands. He slowly approached her and she turned to him, eyes wide. She got up, ready to run, but he held out his glistening onyx claw and gave a soft, caring smile._

"_Don't be afraid, I'm not here to hurt you," said Neltharion. "I heard you cry and I came to see what was wrong."_

"_Monster!" she shouted._

"_Me?" he asked._

"_No..." she said, shaking her head. "A monster. Over there. Burning my village."_

_The Black Aspect slowly walked beside her, looking out over the hill. There, the village was, burning in torrent flames. He heard the sounds of humans crying out in agony from the heat while others raced to save them. _

"_Momma, Papa," said the little girl. "They're in the village. I was...I was just picking flowers when...the monster came..."_

"_Don't worry," said Neltharion, looking down at the child. "I'll save your village and I'll find your parents."_

"_Thank you...sir..." she said._

"_Stay here," he told her, motioning with his claw. "Don't move until I return."_

_She nodded just as the slender, graceful, Black Dragon took to the air. Neltharion flew quickly over to the burning village. Fire was not a problem for him to control, after all, the core of Azeroth was hot and fiery as well. He reached out to the flames and concentrated, slowly putting them out with his will alone. Then, he heard a horrible voice sound from behind him._

"_Pathetic whelp!" the voice called. "Saving these wretched humans from my cleansing! How can you save them? They do not deserve to live on my world!"_

_Neltharion felt something slash across his back and he let out a bellow. The Black Dragon spun towards the ground only to crash upon the plains. He shook off his fall, looking up with horrified eyes. He saw himself above him, hovering over him with an evil gleam in his eyes. The bloated body, the adamantine plates, the bladed tip tail...there he was...his alter persona, Deathwing._

"_Back away, spawn of the Old Gods!" Neltharion bellowed. "I will not let you harm another soul upon Azeroth ever again. Leave these people alone. The world belongs to them as much as it belongs to me."_

_He got to his feet and spread his wings wide, rearing back on his hind legs in a protective stance between Deathwing and the village._

"_The world belongs to neither," said Deathwing. "Only me!"_

"_Then I will take you down, Destroyer," Neltharion said. "I am Neltharion, Earth-Warder, the Guardian of the World of Azeroth itself. The one thing that brings me more pleasure is to protect it from the scum that would seek to destroy it. I will destroy you!"_

_The Aspect of Death let loose a bellowing laugh: "Those are the words that made you into Deathwing in the first place. Those are the words that made you into me!"_

_Neltharion bellowed out a powerful roar, causing the ground itself to quake. The grassy plains began to buckle and splinter in his own anger._

"_I am not you!" he called out to Deathwing._

_In his own anger, the village itself began to crumble from the shaking of the ground. People called out in fear, not understanding what was happening. Neltharion turned to the sounds only to watch in horror just as the earthquake he had caused sank the town into the enormous mouth that opened up in the ground. _

"_You. Are. Me!" Deathwing bellowed._

_Neltharion looked about him, he felt his body growing much larger, swelling up with uncontrollable power. His scales began to split open, revealing the molten, fiery, glowing insides. Lava dripped out from the rips. He let loose a powerful bellow in agony just as his body swelled and grew larger and larger. He heard the voice of Deathwing laugh at his agony, watching in glee as the Earth-Warder's body changed. The heat of his body set fire to the plains again. He looked around to find fissures opening up, spewing forth toxic fumes and lava from the ground. The mountains around the valley crumbled to dust as he bellowed out in agony._

"_No!" Neltharion cried. "Stop it! Please!"_

"_Deathwing!" called out a familiar voice. "It pains me to do this, but I must end you."_

"_You were created to serve Azeroth, to protect it, not destroy it," came another familiar voice._

"_How could you betray us?" asked another voice. "Me especially. We were friends."_

"_Now, your time hassss come," hissed the final voice. "Embrace eternity."_

_Neltharion turned to the voices to find the other four Aspects, Alexstrasza, Ysera, Malygos, and Nozdormu standing before him._

"_No," said Neltharion. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I hurt you. Please, give me a chance, I can make it right! I can make it all right!"_

"_You've done enough!" shouted Malygos. "You destroyed most of my flight! Alexstrasza, I've hurt just as much as you, let me take down this betrayer myself."_

_Neltharion curled up, shivering before the four Aspects._

"_Please, don't hurt me..." _

_Malygos was the first to pounce upon him, ripping furiously at his plates. Next was Alexstrasza, taking the joy in ripping his wings off. Neltharion bellowed out in agony._

"_No!" he cried. Nozdormu and Ysera were next, also clawing feverishly at him. "No!"_

"_You are a failure!" Alexstrasza bellowed._

"_You are worthless," said Ysera._

"_You betrayed me," said Malygos. _

"_Time to join my collection, Neltharion," said Nozdormu._

"_No..." Neltharion said as he shrank away from the four looming Aspects. He shut his eyes tightly, begging in his mind for this nightmare to end and for the four monsters to go away. _

0

Neltharion rolled around on the platform, clawing at his invisible attackers, eyes shut tightly. His body spasmed and reeled from unseen inflictions of agony. The metallic plates on his spines scraped against the platform, leaving scars and black marks. Though this was nothing compared to what was happening all around. In his own torment, the land around Coldarra trembled and quaked. The Nexus itself jostled about as the ground that supported its power rolled. Kalecgos took hold of Neltharion's shoulders, trying to desperately shake him away. He turned to see a ring come colliding with another ring. Not even the power of Malygos' magic that held the Nexus together for all these centuries could withstand the earthquake that a distraught Neltharion was creating.

"Neltharion!" Kalecgos called. "Neltharion! Wake up! Stop this quake! Stop it!"

Below, the ground began to splinter and suddenly, the ancient caldera that made up the valley began to breathe with new life. Kalecgos looked over the edge of the platform to find cracks in the snow glowing with yellow-orange, raging heat from the dormant volcano slumbering underneath. He called out to his Dragonflight, calling then to hold together the Nexus as the earth continued to tremble underneath.

_Neltharion! Friend Neltharion! Please, stop this destruction. Don't hurt my flight._

"Malygossss..." Neltharion said.

_Neltharion! Please. I forgive, you. I forgive you. I forgive you. I should have caught it. We were so close. We were brothers. I should have known there was something wrong. Stop the volcano, Neltharion, this is not you._

Neltharion opened his eyes and turned to Kalecgos. Though his eyes did not see Kalecgos, he saw Malygos. His tears flowed from his eyes. He felt Malygos bringing him close, embracing him as one would to comfort his brother.

"Malygos, I'm sorry," said Neltharion, pressing his head against Malygos' chest. "I know...I will never get a chance to say it to you..."

_My brother, my friend._

"I never wanted it to happen..." Neltharion said.

_I know._

"I hurt you, I hurt Alex, I hurt...everyone..." Neltharion said.

_My friend, Neltharion, I have listened to your great wisdom for centuries and I held your council in high regard. It is time for you to listen to mine._

"What, Malygos?" Neltharion asked. "What council could you give me that could fix the damage I have done to you?"

_Perhaps it is not me you are looking for forgiveness, but it is yourself. You must forgive yourself. Heed my words, brother, go out into the world and find yourself. Within the world, you will find your peace. Once you forgive yourself, you will find that strength you lost._

"Go...out into the world..." Neltharion said as he rose up from Kalecgos' grasp. He walked over to the edge. The earthquake began to settle and the Nexus stopped trembling.

"Neltharion?" asked Kalecgos.

_I challenge you to find your strength and to forgive yourself, dear friend. Be the Earth-Warder you are supposed to be._

Malygos smiled at the Black Dragon. The smile was cheerful, like it used to be. Neltharion breathed deeply, his eyes slowly clearing as the vision of Malygos faded.

"Malygos!" Neltharion called. "Wait! Don't...don't leave..."

"Neltharion?" Kalecgos asked as he moved towards the Earth-Warder. He placed his claw on Neltharion's shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Neltharion turned to the new Spell-Weaver and his head lowered in shame. He wiped his eyes free of his tears.

"I have to go," he told Kalecgos.

"You're not well," said Kalecgos.

"I have to go," Neltharion repeated, wagging his huge, black head.

"You must rest," said Kalecgos. "Alexstrasza will be showing up soon. We've called her."

Neltharion shook his head.

"I'm not going back to Wyrmrest," he said. "I don't have a place there now. My place is out there...somewhere. Away from all of you. I must find myself. Malygos said so."

"Malygos?" Kalecgos asked. "Neltharion, your mind is not well either. You're hearing voices again. You can't go out there. You'll hurt yourself and others."

"You think I'll become Deathwing again," he said. "You see me as Deathwing. It's time for you to change your vision, young Spell-Weaver. The voice I hear does not come from the sinister tongues of the Old Gods. I heard Malygos. He was as merry as he was before I...I betrayed him. He smiled at me. He said I must forgive myself."

Kalecgos looked into the Black Dragon's sparkling green eyes. Neltharion's eyes pleaded to Kalecgos to let him go.

"Please," said Neltharion. "Let me go. Just let me go."

"You're still not well," said Kalecgos. "You shouldn't be hearing any voices in your mind. You're delirious. You need to rest."

"Rest?" Neltharion asked. "And just sit back and watch the world itself falls apart because of my own follies?"

"Those are the thoughts that made the Old Gods use you in the first place," said Kalecgos.

"Then, just let me go...let me go and let me destroy myself," said Neltharion. "Everything will be fine if I just die. You should have killed me before. Why let me continue on in my misery?"

He looked down over the rim of the main platform. He saw the now gushing geysers that his nightmares had created. He saw the cracks in the earth, the glowing lines showing magma underneath, much like some of the rips in his black body. Neltharion took in a breath and puffed out his massive chest. Reaching out with his claw, he concentrated, connecting himself with the earth as he once did centuries ago. He listened to the heart and he heard it quiver in distress. He knew what he caused it. He reached out to the fractured land before him. He whispered soft, soothing words to it, easing it to become calm. The volcano would not heed his words. Instead, he felt another jolt of an earthquake. Neltharion concentrated harder, trying to ease the land, commanding it to heal itself, commanding the caldera to return to its slumber. He was only met with defiance.

"No..." he whispered. "Even my powers have not forgiven me. The world has not forgiven me." Neltharion turned back to Kalecgos. "Deathwing has stolen even the gift granted to me. I am nothing. I am no Earth-Warder. I am no Aspect. I am nothing."

_You are Earth-Warder, friend Neltharion. As I was the Spell-Weaver. He has not stolen those powers, you have forgotten them._

"Malygos?" Neltharion asked.

"Not again..." Kalecgos asked. "You're not hearing Malygos. He's not here anymore!"

_Tell my successor that I am here, I will always be here. My spirit resides within the Nexus itself. I have forgiven myself for my deeds, I only did them out of fear for Azeroth itself. However, I was wrong. You can hear me, Neltharion, because my soul is bound to Coldarra itself._

"Kalecgos," said Neltharion. "I can hear him. He's everywhere, in the rocks of Coldarra. I can hear his voice inside the stone that the Nexus is built upon."

"Malygos' spirit is in the stone?" asked Kalecgos.

"Malygos...is the only Aspect that ever died," Neltharion said. "Perhaps...his final resting place would be heart of Azeroth's arcane power...here. I can hear him, Kalecgos. He doesn't speak to me with hatred anymore." His eyes were still moist, but the tears he continued to shed were not of sorrow. "He doesn't curse my name. He said he's forgiven me. He says he was wrong that he only did what he did to protect Azeroth. He...listened to me. I...still blame myself."

_Don't blame yourself! I was afraid like you that mortals who hold no wisdom to the great power we granted them would eventually destroy Azeroth. In a way, the Old Gods tricked me too, they turned my concerns to protect the life of Azeroth which wielded my magic into thoughts of malice. I should be apologizing to Alexstrasza as well. I've done so much harm to this world, much like you. That is not what we were created for. We aren't made to harm Azeroth nor the beings that live on it. We were made to guide it, and to guard it. Tell Kalecgos to let you go! Go out into the world, Neltharion, go! Leave the Nexus, but return and tell me your adventures when you are done._

"I have to go," said Neltharion. "He wants me to go. But he wants me to return when I finally find myself. Tell him stories, that's what Malygos wants me to do. He always loved to listen to some of my stories."

Kalecgos could not help but to smile: "If it is true and you are hearing the spirit of Malygos, then I wish I could hear it too. My new role as an Aspect doesn't grant me it..."

Neltharion finally straightened his shoulders, his eyes still moist. The massive, oversized Black Dragon placed his enormous claw on the shoulder of the smaller Blue Aspect.

"It is because you are not the Earth-Warder," he said. "You can't hear rocks talk."

"I can't hear rocks talk," Kalecgos said, letting himself laugh for the first time at Neltharion's snarky sense of humor. He had heard of tales of Neltharion's snark and it was one of the things Malygos enjoyed. Malygos was a jester of joy, but Neltharion was a humorous snark. Together, they would have made Azeroth's first draconic comedy team. Neltharion's face became serious.

"You are the Spell-Weaver now," he said. "Perhaps through the arcane energies surrounding the Nexus, you may find his wisdom."

"Maybe," said Kalecgos. "Thank you...for the advice...Earth-Warder."

"That is what I am here for," said Neltharion.

"What am I going to tell Alexstrasza?" he asked. "She'll be wondering where you are."

"Tell her that I am on a mission from Malygos," replied Neltharion. "He's my older brother after all. I can't disappoint him."

"I...suppose not," said Kalecgos.

Neltharion allowed himself to smile behind the metallic jaw brace. Kalecgos could see the corners of his scaly lips curling into the smile. Then, the Earth-Warder turned around and extended his enormous wings. Catching the air, he pushed himself off the edge of the platform in the Nexus and started off with a glide. Still, he flew rather awkwardly. Soon, the massive Black Dragon flew over the rim of the caldera, stirring up the snow at the edge of the ring of mountains. Kalecgos looked down when he heard a rumble beneath him. The fractured ground caused by Neltharion's distress was returning to normal. No longer were their fissures or glowing cracks. The ground was whole again.


	3. III

**III**

It was night and the enchanted purple haze filled the city with an eerie glow. However, the citizens of this place have grown to enjoy its color. It almost appeared to be always night here, no matter if it was day anywhere else. Perhaps it was the enchantment of the druids that lived here, or the power of Ysera, or something else entirely, but it was always night. This night did not hinder the population, they loved the night. That is why they are called Night Elves. The city of Darnassus, capitol of the Night Elves in Kalimdor, was a quiet, meditative, and peaceful place. Many branches of the great Teldrassil World Tree could be seen extending over the city while the glow of the moon cast silvery rays through the leaves. He used the branches as his cover, the night as his camouflage. He already landed awkwardly quite a ways from Darnassus so's not to alert the Night Elves or their friends of his presence as he made his way for the little inn and tavern.

The voices were coming back to him, talking to him, laughing at him again. Though, they appeared not to want to control him, they just wanted to enjoy making him miserable.

_Useless!_

_Failure!_

_Weak!_

_Stupid Whelp!_

The dreams he had continued on as nightmares each night when he rested, trying desperately to regain his strength. Just a few leagues from Darnassus, he fell into the ocean during his flight because of his weakness. He had no choice but to swim the rest of the way. He was happy to get this far.

_Failure!_

Neltharion wagged his head, trying desperately to get the voices out again.

_You should have died._

_You should have let them kill you._

_Why don't you go kill yourself!_

_Do us all a favor._

_End it now!_

Why end it? Why end it when dear brother, Malygos charged him with a mission? Why? There had to be a way to silence them again. He slowly moved his massive form over the inn, mindful not to alert any of the guards walking around. That was when he came upon the barrels with taps on them. Ale. Ale will stop the voices. Ale will silence them. Reaching out for one of the barrels, Neltharion continued to glance around for the guards.

_Oh, this will be funny!_

_The great Earth-Warder is going to get drunk!_

_Yes, let us watch this!_

_At least we'll get some entertainment from him again!_

_Make us laugh, Neltharion!_

_And then end it._

_I will get you all out of my head somehow,_ Neltharion thought as he brought the barrel up to his head. He tore upon the lid and tilted his head back, letting the ale splash down his throat. Of course, one barrel would not be enough to even give him a proper buzz let alone make him stinking drunk. He knew he had to reach for more. He paused just for a moment when he watched a tavern wench come out to roll a barrel in. Neltharion could hear the sounds of merriment inside, glasses clinking to toasts of good health and stories being told by the fire. In a way, he longed to join them. He could transform into a human, but the Old Gods had cursed even that luxury. It would be a while before he could even take on a human form ever again. However, that did not mean he could not shrink himself. Still, even in a shrunken form, they would know who he was. The merriment would stop and all eyes of hatred would be on him. It was just best he remained outside, stealing alcohol from the tavern by the barrels.

Neltharion grabbed the next barrel and gulped down the ale again. More and more, he gulped, taking one barrel after another. Suddenly, he did start to feel a little light headed. Then, he hiccuped. Neltharion held his mouth when the spasm happened. Just as he hiccuped, the ground itself began to tremble from an earthly tremor deep within.

_Oh my...that was...odd..._Neltharion thought. He blinked and started on the final barrel before the tavern wench came back out again.

_Get drunk, Neltharion!_

_Maybe you'll do something stupid!_

_Yes, like sink Darnassus in a violent earthquake caused by your hiccups!_

_This will be the best entertainment you have given us!_

_Oh, hell no! _Neltharion replied to the voices. His hiccups continued to cause the ground to shake. However, the shaking was nothing more than a nuisance than a life-threatening earthquake. It did not go unnoticed, though. The sounds of merriment stopped with each jolt and people opened up their shutters on their windows, looking out and around for what was going on. Neltharion heard the sounds of various Night Elves and some of the few other races talk amongst themselves as they question about what the source of the quake was. He swallowed and attempted to sneak away as best as a gigantic dragon could. Stealing himself away, Neltharion fumbled over himself in his light headedness, crashing into a building. His fall sent another tremor through the ground, alerting the guards. They rushed up towards the source of the disturbance and found the massive Black Dragon lying on the smashed building. Neltharion heard the sounds of the Old Gods laughing inside his head. He looked around him just as the guards surrounded him, pointing their swords, blunderbusses, and crossbows at him. The Old Gods still laughed. Neltharion rose up slowly, the broken pieces of wood dropped from his black scales. His head wagged slightly from his buzz an again, he let loose another hiccup. The ground trembled. As he hiccuped, he let loose a rather loud belch. In his buzz, he giggled like a little girl. The Black Aspect backed slowly away, only for his sharp, bladed tail to collide with another building. He heard the sounds of people screaming as the building collapsed as he made the attempt to remove his bladed tail from it.

"Oops..." Neltharion said. He still heard the Old Gods laugh. "Stop laughing at me!"

The guards continued to approach him. Neltharion spread his wings and leapt into the air, awkwardly gaining altitude. The downbeat of his wings sent wind roaring around them. Glass in the windows broke from the vibration. The guards bent down, covering their faces just as shards of glass flew everywhere around them. Neltharion was in the air. He passed over the enormous World Tree, seeing its branches arch up into the sky. The World Tree itself was even larger than him, however, unlike the previous one, this tree was not gifted by Nozdormu's blessing of timelessness. It was blessed with life from Alexstrasza much later after its planting. At the southern base of the enormous tree of green leaves and purple blossoms was a port town that once was a part of the root system of the tree itself. Neltharion glanced down at it, seeing the root of the World Tree was broken and this port separated, becoming its own island. The Shattering caused it, his Shattering. The port itself was called Rut'theran Village. Broken shards of rocks and wood could be found scattering about like stepping stones in the water where the port had broken off from Teldrassil. Neltharion once more let loose a hiccup and he saw the water ripple as a sign of another tremor. Even in the air, his strange hiccups effected the world.

Flying over the Veiled Sea, Neltharion landed upon the gloomy shore of Darkshore. The rocky shore and dense, shadowy forest was covered in a thick, chilly fog. There was an unnatural overcast of clouds above as thunder rumbled in the distance. This place could send a chill down the spine of the bravest of men, including the Earth-Warder himself. He had not been to this place in a long time, especially freed of his alter personality Deathwing. In his current, slightly confused state, the forest seemed terrible to him.

_It's going to get you, Neltharion..._

_The forest._

_Spooky!_

Neltharion shook his head, trying his best to ignore the voices. He could not believe they started coming back since his flight from the Nexus. He had hoped they left him alone now since he was of no use to them anymore. Though, being the Earth-Warder, he knew that perhaps he would never get rid of the whispers. So long as the Old Gods slept in the depths below, their whispers would continue to plague him and all of Azeroth. He lowered his head, closing his eyes tightly. Why did the Titans not realize what they were doing to him when they gave him the power over the earth itself? Had they forgotten?

_They wanted to see you suffer the most!_

_No..._Neltharion thought. _It was just a mistake. They made a mistake. It's that simple._

_If they made a mistake, why didn't they come back to correct it?_

_They have forgotten, _Neltharion replied. _Stop talking to me! I'm not your pawn anymore. Ale. Must find more ale. Must drown them out, drown the voices out! That way...I can continue with Malygos' request._

_As a drunk?_

_Shut up!_ Neltharion shouted at the voices.

He decided to continue on foot, waddling through the thick forest. His massive body knocked over several of the trees as he made his way into the forest. Neltharion peered around him, noticing much of the land was rather flooded into marshlands, a result of a massive tsunami that struck it recently. His head dipped when he realized who it was that caused it. Deathwing's Cataclysm had changed much of Azeroth. Neltharion touched the ground, connecting to it. He felt it lurch at his touch, knowing what he did to it. It felt repulsed by him. Neltharion's face twisted in realization of its disgust and again he curled up.

_Forgive me, please, Azeroth, forgive me..._

_No one will forgive you._

_Not even Azeroth._

_Kill yourself._

_Drink yourself numb and then drive the hardest stone into your chest._

_Let your blood spill, lit it flow._

_Maybe then the world will be healed._

"Shut up!" Neltharion bellowed. "Shut up! Leave me alone! Just leave me alone!"

He laid down on the marshy grass and curled up as the voices continued to laugh at him. Neltharion once more started to weep.

_Look at the little whelp, crying._

_Pathetic whelp._

_Go cry to your mommy._

_Oh wait, you have none. No mother, no father._

_You were merely genetically cloned from some gigantic iguana with wings._

_No wonder you are so pathetic._

_Test tube baby!_

_Even the mortals have parents. _

_And you don't!_

Neltharion lifted his head up and shook off the voices and their mocking. He lifted off the ground and continued his slow lumbering through the forest. Spreading his wings, and knocking down several other trees, the Black Dragon launched into the air again. He took his flight path around the forest of Darkshore, seeing what damage he had caused as Deathwing. In his flight, he could see a looming, still erupting volcano towards the south, spewing out black smoke over the land. He quickly found himself in what remained of Auberdine. The capitol was in shambles. Buildings burnt and blackened from when he flew over it as Deathwing, his wings swathed in fire and choking smoke. The bridge broken from the torrent wind of the beating of his massive wings. Neltharion took in a dive for Auberdine, once more the wind of his wings causing the remaining shingles of the buildings to fly off, piece by piece. He landed with a _thud_ upon the ground, sending a massive tremor through the soil. Swiftly, he snapped his wings back to his back and stood quietly still, swinging his head around to look at the damage Deathwing had caused. He lowered his head and raised a claw to his face. The whole town was vacant, empty. Not even the creatures of Darkshore dared to venture into this abandoned town. It seemed everything was abandoned here. All around Auberdine, the trees were nothing more than burnt sticks shooting up out of the ground. There was still some soot and ash lying on the ground as well. Neltharion curled up, lying down in the middle of Auberdine. From what all he could see of the sun through the clouds, it was setting. He was getting tired himself. He closed his eyes again, hoping this time he would have a good dream. Ysera wanted him to have good dreams for once, but he could not. He coiled his bladed tail around himself and let loose a low thrum from his throat, resting his metallic chin upon a rock. The world itself seemed to fade away as his mind drifted off into slumber.

0

_A glinting flash of gold filled his eyes as he awoke from his deep slumber within the bowls of Azeroth. Neltharion breathed heavily, feeling the horrible personality of Deathwing still press his mind against the back of his skull. All he could see through the eyes was defused light. That was all he was allowed to see now. It was a sign he was loosing control. Deathwing had commanded him to awaken. He did not want to awaken. His body had already begin to change each time he neared the horrible artifact Deathwing ordered him to make. For now, Deathwing could not quite push Neltharion's personality out, but he could force Neltharion's muscles to move. He still needed Neltharion. The Earth-Warder slowly approached the golden disk lying before him. His claws trembled, knowing what it was that powered it. He knew what Deathwing was planning on him to use it for and it was was the last thing he ever wanted to do. Neltharion felt his tears drip from his eyes as he took hold of the Dragon Soul. A simple touch and he felt another rip appear upon his body. It was painful, what Deathwing was doing to his glorious form. _

Finish it!_ He heard his other personality command him. _Finish it now!

_Neltharion did not want to. His fate would be sealed the moment he completed the rite. He would be pushed from his own body, nothing more than a shadow of his former self, existing in some pocket deep within his own mind while Deathwing finally had total autonomy over the Black Aspect itself._

Finish it and we will end your suffering, Neltharion.

_Neltharion squinted his eyes when he heard the horrible whispers in his mind again._

Finish it, and all will be well.

_Neltharion raised a claw up and bit into the pad. His fiery blood flowed free from the wound and dripped down onto the golden disk. He watched as the disk drank of his blood, absorbing it into its surface. Neltharion lowered a claw to the disk and slowly began to speak the strange words the whispers taught him. The glow of the disk became brighter and brighter, filling the fiery cavern with brilliant golden light. Neltharion's head pounded with the echoing, dark laughter of Deathwing. Even more rips happened on his body as he brought the Dragon Soul to life. Lava dripped from the wounds. Neltharion cried out in agony as his body filled out even more, growing even larger from the power of the disk. He tore his claw away from the disk and shrank back against the rocky wall. Deathwing laughed maniacally inside his mind. His head pounded, his vision became distorted even more. The sounds around the cavern sent an aching ring into his ears and he held his head. Neltharion wept, leaning against the wall, far away from the horrible artifact he had just created. _

"_No, no more!" he said, crying out in sorrow and pain. "Please. Stop. This is not what I was made for. You're twisting my powers, my gifts! Please, don't. I don't want to do this!"_

Silence, whelp! _Deathwing said. _Now, it is time for you to go back into your corner, but this time, it will be forever!

_The personality that was Neltharion felt himself being ripped from the commands of his body. He felt a stinging, spiked whip upon his etherial back as Deathwing assaulted him. Neltharion could do nothing against the now more powerful personality. Deathwing held him down, pinning him onto his back. He felt the shackles being placed upon his wrists and onto his ankles. His tail tied down by chains. Neltharion looked about his ethereal form. Even in his mind, he saw the marred shape, the glowing cracks in his scales, the metallic plates, and of course, his bloated, disproportionate size. Even with his much greater size, he did not have the strength to fight against this new personality that invaded his mind. Deathwing looked upon Neltharion shackled body, running a claw down his neck. _

Don't..._Neltharion said in a plead. _You sick bastard, don't!

Sometimes it's just best to close your eyes and get it over with, _purred Deathwing._

No, you promised my suffering would end! _Neltharion said. _Please, don't do this again. No. I've done what you asked! I've done it! I've made that accursed thing. Don't do this to me again. No!

The Earth-Warder's pleads are delicious, Deathwing.

And we love to watch...

_Neltharion shut his eyes, grimacing just as Deathwing drew his body into a forceful embrace. It was unspeakable, horrifying, shameful. Every vile act was committed against him and he was helpless to it. He could do nothing but to submit to Deathwing's stronger will. This was how they broke him. In his own mind, in his own body, he was forced to endure the violating act. Deathwing ravaged everything to gain full control of Neltharion's body. Neltharion cried out, tears continuing to flow from his eyes. It only pleasured Deathwing even more._

_When the act was done, the Earth-Warder finally relinquished control of the Black Aspect to the new commander. Deathwing opened his new eyes for the first time and rose his massive head. Though he could feel the battered personality of the Earth-Warder in the back of his mind, he had no worries about him. If Neltharion dared to even speak, he knew what he could do to once more subdue him. Deathwing was in control. However, he still wanted Neltharion conscious. He got a thrill of seeing the Earth-Warder writhe in horror whenever Deathwing commanded him to do something against his morals. _

_Neltharion at the back of his mind just hung there by the shackles he was pinned to. His body ravaged, his mind was weakened. He stared at the floor, tears continuing to flow from his eyes. He glanced up just once to see the defused, distorted images he saw from his eyes. Deathwing was in flight now, gliding his way across the land. He knew where Deathwing was going and he had the disk with him. _

Forgive me, Azeroth..._Neltharion whispered. _I was not strong enough to defeat this demon inside of me. Now you will suffer his wrath as well. I fear for my flight, and even for my dear siblings. I can only hope they will end my life soon to stop that monster...

0

Neltharion breathed heavily, tossing and turning on the ground. Those nightmares continued on, raging in his mind, reminding him of the horrible acts Deathwing had caused then. Once more his tears flowed freely from his eyes while nightmare of things long past haunted him. He laid upon his back and arched it. In his distress again, the ground trembled and quaked. Neltharion awoke, panting from the sounds of the earthquake he was causing. He heard the sound of the ruined buildings around him begin to topple over one after another. Neltharion wiped his eyes, seeing the buildings fall. Then, he rose up from the ground.

"Is this what I am now, even after Deathwing has gone?" he asked. "Nothing more than a force of destruction? My very presence destroys things! Even things that I've already destroyed."

He took in a breath and took off again. It was time for another drink. If he could not keep the voices from his head from bugging him, then at least he could drown his sorrows with precious liquor. Neltharion looked around, flying over an area of blacken wood and fire. The sky turned an angry orange. He knew that this was the remains of what used to be Iris Lake, now dried up and filled with pools of lava from the erupting volcano. Prior to the Shattering, this was a corrupted Felwood. Perhaps Deathwing did this area a favor.

He finally came upon another settlement owned by Night Elves. This was the settlement that replaced Auberdine, called Lor'danel. Neltharion's face brightened when he saw an inn at the south side of the settlement. He landed a little ways and then concentrated upon his own form. He felt himself contract while the world grew larger around him. Neltharion looked around just as the trees seemed to grow taller. He looked around himself, noting his size. Still, he could not transform into a human form. He did not want to. Even in human form, he had caused much pain to the world. Neltharion snuck in, finding a small house just outside of town with clothes drying on a line. There was a large cloak and he reached up to snatch it away. A Night Elf emerged from the house, a basket in her hands ready to bring in the clothes. Neltharion quickly ducked into the bushes and inspected the cloak before the purple-skinned elf could catch him. Knowing that many Night Elves had antlers as a sign of their druidic heritage, Neltharion poked holes into the hood of the cloak to fit his horns through. He sucked in his gut as best as he could and wrapped his wings around his chest. That was when he threw on the cloak and swiftly made his way towards Lor'danel before the elf could catch him. He entered Lor'danel, swiftly making his way towards the inn and hoping he did not catch the attention of any of the Night Elves. Neltharion ducked down behind the tavern itself, where they were stacking their barrels filled with ale. He dared not go into the tavern.

_Oh, that cloak really is becoming of you!_

_Better hide that ugly face of yours!_

_You know they'll just find you anyway._

_Time to silence you, _said Neltharion as he grabbed one of the barrels. He tore open the lid and pulled back the hood. Dipping his head into the ale, Neltharion began to drink. One thing, he hoped the smaller size would equal a greater chance of getting drunk. His natural size only gave him a buzz after drinking 15 barrels. His hopes yielded a success as he drank the barrel dry. There was that buzz, the feeling of light-headedness. He smiled slightly, his eyes becoming heavy-lidded. Then, he came to another, taking the lid off of it as well and began to down it. Neltharion stopped just as he heard the sound of the back door of the tavern opening up. A tavern wench came out, grabbing a barrel. She paused for a moment, sniffing the air. Neltharion ducked behind the stack of barrels, pulling the hood over his head again. He felt that tickle at his throat again and a hiccup irrupted from his jaws. The ground began to tremor afterwards.

"Hello?" asked the wench. "Anyone there?"

Neltharion held his breath, covering his jaws with his claw. Still, that did not stop his hiccups. The earth trembled again. The elf stumbled slightly forward, but was able to secure her footing. She slowly began to walk over towards the barrels.

"If someone's over here stealing ale, I'll call the guards!" she shouted.

Again, Neltharion hiccuped and the tremor was enough to knock a barrel free, revealing his hiding place. The elf looked at him with wide, silvery-blue eyes and then let loose an ear splitting scream. Neltharion gasped and tumbled out from behind the barrels. He threw off the cloak, and took a step back, returning to his true size. The elf continued to scream even louder, realizing who he was.

"Deathwing!" she shouted. "Deathwing!"

Neltharion gasped and snatched up the remaining barrels of ale, then, awkwardly taking to the sky again. Just as the massive Black Dragon flew off into the horizon, several tenants in the inn rushed to the elf's side.

"What happened?" asked a dwarf.

"Deathwing," replied the tavern wench. "Deathwing...stole the ale. He just...took all the barrels and then just flew off."

"Did you just say Deathwing?" asked another Night Elf. "You sure it was Deathwing?"

"What giant black dragon has a huge metal jaw on his face?" she asked. "Of course it was Deathwing! His hiccups even caused an earthquake!"

"So, that's what those tremors were," said the dwarf.

"Where was he heading?" asked a human behind her.

"Southeast," she replied. "Towards the Barrens."

"The Alliance is in the Barrens," said the human. "We've got to warn them."

"Someone get to the Hearthstone!" shouted the Dwarf. "Call them up, let 'em know Deathwing's comin'."

The tavern wench rushed back inside towards the Hearthstone.

"I thought Deathwing was slain," said the Night Elf.

"Apparently, who ever slain him didn't do a good job," said the dwarf. "Doesn't make a difference. We get to kill him now!"

0

Neltharion slowly flew low over the Northern Barrens, heading for Durotar. In his claws were the barrels of ale he had stolen from Lor'danel, one of the barrels were open. He drank from that single barrel. Once it was empty, he then dropped the barrel and went to the next one. His eyes were heavy and he slowly began to loose altitude. Below him, the hot, golden lands of the Barrens spread all around. Neltharion let loose another hiccup and a rolling earth splintered under the grassy, savannah plains. So far, the drinking was working, the whispers were either nothing more than just buzzing in his brain, or incomprehensible babbles, much like his own thoughts. His rather dopy smile gave off a gleam of apathy to the notion that the ground was still rising up to meet him. Neltharion downed another barrel, tossing aside. It broke into pieces upon the tough, dry dirt, sending the animals there scattering when it fell. The warmth of the sun in the savannah was enjoyable to him and added to his sleepiness. He was so happy to be far away from Northrend and its frozen wasteland of Dragonblight. The father from Alexstrasza he could get the happier he was. The more intoxicated he could get, the quieter the voices in his head became, the happier he was. If his face was not the color of charcoal, he would be blushing red right now from the ale. Neltharion wanted to fly to Orgrimmar, knowing that they would no doubt have stronger ale. He would have to find a way to sneak in again, or he could just land in the middle of the city without a care and snatch up what barrels he could find before Warchief Garrosh Hellscream ordered his head to be chopped off. The landscape soon turned to a rust color as he passed over from savannah grasslands of the Barrens to the desert of Durotar. Neltharion struggled to keep himself aloft in his intoxication

The ground swiftly rushed up to him just as he made his way through over to Durotar and right before he could even reach the gates of Orgrimmar, Neltharion crashed in a cloud of dust upon the rusty sand. His wings flopped, still spread out over the ground, his body grew limp. The barrels rolled out of his claws and Neltharion reached out with a shaky hand to grab them. However, his crash did not go unheard. A line of orcs rushed the walls of Orgrimmar when the Black Dragon's crash trembled the ground and shook their palisade. Guns were at the ready, pointing at the unconscious body of the Earth-Warder. His head tilted to the side, his body slightly twisted awkwardly from the fall. He hiccuped and the ground once more trembled. The doors opened and in that instant, Garrosh, followed by several of his own elite warriors, came out to inspect the body. Another followed him, one dressed in more of a shaman garb, but still gained the respect of many of the orcs in Orgrimmar. It was the previous Warchief Thrall. Walking beside him was Aggra.

"What the hell?" Garrosh bellowed out. He turned to Thrall. "What's he doing here?"

"I have no idea," said Thrall.

"You told me you left that stupid dragon with the red bitch Life-Warder," said Garrosh. "Well? What's he doing here? Did he decide to follow you home? What is he, your pet now?"

"That is...highly disrespectful to the Earth-Warder, Garrosh," said Thrall.

"I don't care! What is Deathwing doing at the gate of my city?"

Garrosh paused in his fuming anger when his nose caught the smell of something odd coming from Neltharion. He sniffed at it and then turned back in disgust, waving his hand in front of his face and holding his nose.

"And why does he smell like a dwarf?" he asked.

Thrall and Aggra sniffed as well, leaning closer to Neltharion. Aggra looked over a ways to see some of the still intact barrels lying in the sand. She walked over and propped one up, opening the lid. Dipping her hand into the liquid, she drank from it, only to spit it out.

"It's warm ale!" she cried. "Bad tasting ale too."

Garrosh approached the Earth-Warder, knocking on his metal chin with a fist. Neltharion only hiccuped. Garrosh felt the ground quake bellow him and he stumbled backwards, falling upon his rump.

"What was that?" he asked.

"A hiccup?" Aggra asked.

"His hiccups causes earthquakes?"

"He is the Earth-Warder," said Thrall with a shrug. He walked over to the enormous Black Dragon and placed a caring hand upon his scaled neck. He patted the neck softly and a low purr resounded from Neltharion's throat. Thrall only smiled.

"Get him out of here, now!" Garrosh shouted.

"And how do you expect me to do that?" Thrall asked. "Drag him by his tail? Do you know how big he is?"

"Well then, ex-Warchief," said Garrosh, storming over to Thrall. "What do you suggest we do?"

"Wake him and then lead him inside," said Thrall.

"And how do you propose to do that?" asked Garrosh.

"I have an idea," said Aggra. She covered the barrel with the lid and then with all her strength, hefted it up. Walking back towards the main gate of the orc city, she turned around and shouted at Neltharion.

"Hey, Nel! Earth-Warder! Wake up!"

Neltharion's green eyes fluttered slightly as he awoke. His vision was still very much distorted and his head swam. He lifted his heavy head up.

"Do you want this barrel of delicious ale?" asked Aggra. "Hmmm? Come on!"

Neltharion slowly rose to his feet and without a word to the others, started for Aggra. She backed up, carrying the barrel with her and he followed her slowly.

"That's it, follow me," she said. "Come on. Come and get it."

Thrall chuckled as he followed behind the Black Dragon and Garrosh followed as well. As soon as they all made it back inside, the gates closed behind the Earth-Warder. However, Neltharion could care less.

"Now what?" Garrosh asked.

"Watch this," said Aggra. She made for the inn that she and Thrall were currently staying in during their visit to Orgrimmar. Bringing the barrel with her, she went inside the inn. As soon as Neltharion got to the inn, he stopped. Aggra came back outside. "You have to make yourself smaller if you want that barrel, Earth-Warder."

Neltharion stared blankly, but then gave a nod. His body shrank, but it did not shift into a mortal form. Soon, he was nothing more than the size of a large warhorse.

"I suppose that's good enough," said Aggra. "Come on."

Neltharion took one step for the door and then stumbled over. He landed flat on his chest again, his head now buried in the sand.

"You have got to be kidding me," Garrosh sighed. "We were afraid of this guy?"

"We were afraid of Deathwing," said Thrall. "This is not Deathwing."

"Obviously," said Garrosh. "He's your problem, Thrall. Make sure he doesn't get into trouble."

With that, Garrosh left, returning to the Chieftain hut. Thrall and Aggra knelt down and grabbed Neltharion's forelegs. With a heave, they started to pull him into the inn and then up the stairs to their room. They finally hefted him up into the bed, laying him on his back. Aggra pulled the fur covers over Neltharion. The Dragon Aspect opened his eyes slowly and turned them towards Thrall.

"Neltharion..." said Thrall. "Nice to see you again."

"Thrall?" he asked. "Where...where am I?"

"Orgrimmar," said Thrall. "In my room at the inn."

"What are you doing here?" Neltharion asked.

"I'd ask you the same thing," said Thrall. "You're supposed to be with Alexstrasza."

"I...ran away..." said Neltharion.

"Much more like flew away," said Aggra.

Neltharion's eyes began to droop again.

"Get some sleep," said Thrall. "So you can be alert when you tell me all about running away from Dragonblight."

The Black Dragon closed his eyes and his body fell limp once more. Thrall heard the Earth-Warder took in several deep, steady breaths, making a thrumming noise as he breathed. He placed a hand upon the huge chest of the dragon and gave it a pat.

"He still stinks like a dwarf," said Aggra.

"It's the ale," said Thrall. "You know how dwarves like their ale."

"I've never heard of a Dragon Aspect getting drunk," said Aggra.

"I never knew one could get drunk," said Thrall. "I suppose it proves they're just living creatures like you and me. Which made me even more satisfied that we spared him rather than kill him."

"Garrosh seems to not think so," said Aggra.

"Garrosh can just get over himself," Thrall sighed, his lip curling in disgust. "I'll take care of the Earth-Warder, get him over his intoxication and then help him out of Orgrimmar. Maybe point him back into the direction of Wyrmrest where he belongs."

Aggra looked upon Neltharion's peaceful, sleeping form and tilted her head slightly. She allowed a soft smile to appear on her lips and touched one of his enormous horns.

"You know, he's kinda cute when he's a sleep and not destroying Azeroth," she said.

Thrall just chuckled.


	4. IV

**IV**

Thrall watched as the Earth-Warder slept soundly. Neltharion turned in the bed, shifting the sounds of his low purr as he reached a deeper level of slumber. For once, Neltharion was having some happy dreams. His nightmares were gone while he slept under the induction of intoxication. A night had gone by since Neltharion landed in Orgrimmar and the sun was just rising. The Earth-Warder snorted just as he slowly opened his eyes. His expression held a dreamy serene look and he turned his green eyes towards Thrall. He smiled at the shaman, blinking away his sleep. Neltharion stretched and yawned, letting his tongue roll out between his fangs.

"Good morning," said Thrall. "Are you alright?"

"My head hurts a little," said Neltharion. "What...what just happened?"

"You got drunk, crashed at the front gate of Orgrimmar," began Thrall. "And then, we lead you inside the city with a barrel of ale."

Neltharion chuckled: "What?"

"You were drunk," said Thrall. "Something I never expected an Aspect could be."

Neltharion chuckled again, holding his head. It was like someone took the largest hammer in the world and decide to bash his head with it consistently. Neltharion moaned a little and took in a deep breath. He turned his head, nuzzling against the furred pillow. The dragon purred.

"This is so soft," he said.

"I think you're still drunk," said Thrall.

"No, just happy," said Neltharion. "I...had a good dream last night. It's been the first happy dream I've had in ten thousand years."

"What dream was that?" asked Thrall.

"I was on a peaceful island, sunbathing," said Neltharion. "Listening to the roll of the waves as they crashed onto the beach. That was it. Nothing else happened. Though I think I saw my sister Ysera there, smiling back. She was happy that I was having a good dream for once."

"Nothing?" asked Thrall. "What sort of dream is that?"

"You don't understand, mortal," Neltharion began as he rose his head up slightly. "My dreams have been nightmares or dreams of sadness. My dreams are all about Deathwing and what he did to me, tormenting me, even...raping me. And I am helpless to stop him. Then, I see what he does to the rest of Azeroth. Or they are the sad dreams, seeing the death of my flight and knowing we may never be as strong as we once were before the fall from grace. Just dreaming about lying on a beach listening to the ocean is an enormous step from that. I was happy on that island." He looked over seeing the barrel of ale that Aggra had placed in the room. "The liquor helped me have that dream. It made me happy."

"Unfortunately, ale can be evil as well," said Thrall. "It makes people do horrible things without thought."

"I know," he said. "My mind was so dulled by the ale, the Old Gods could not torment me in my dreams again."

"Old Gods?" asked Thrall. He leaned closer to the bed and placed his hand on Neltharion's chest. "Are they talking to you again?"

"Yes," said Neltharion.

"Why? Do they want Deathwing to return?"

"No," said Neltharion. His soft smile faded and his eyes began to water. His lip trembled as he felt a sob come on. "They only wish for me to end my life."

"Do you want to end it?"

"A part of me does," he said, wiping his eyes. "But when I visited the Nexus, Malygos spoke to me. He said I should go out into the world and find myself. Maybe if I find myself, I will find the strength I need to keep the Old Gods from tormenting me and I can be the Earth-Warder I was meant to be. I need to find the strength you told me I had."

Neltharion laid his head back on the pillow.

"That barrel over there," he began. "Could I have something to drink from it?"

He held out his black claw towards the barrel, turning it up.

"I'm not going to let you drink yourself to destruction," said Thrall. "Besides, your hiccups cause earthquakes."

Neltharion chuckled again.

"It's not funny," said Thrall. "You are Azeroth, you hiccup, it hiccups. And if you do it, Garrosh will surely be furious."

"You think I care what Garrosh thinks?" Neltharion asked. "I am...the Earth-Warder. This whole city is built on my...earth. If he so much as cross me, I can do more than just make Azeroth hiccup."

Thrall leaned over and stared into Neltharion's eyes.

"With your reputation," he began. "I don't think you want to do that."

Neltharion looked away, sighing, his eyes becoming heavy again.

"You're right. I don't. Thrall, please, a drink?"

Thrall sighed and opened up the barrel. He dipped a bronze cup into it and brought it to Neltharion. The Earth-Warder sipped at it. Just as soon as he downed the cup, he handed it back to Thrall, wanting more. Thrall filled it up again.

"I think the humans call this alcoholism," said Thrall.

"I call it trying to numb myself from the horrors inflicted upon me," said Neltharion. He leaned up and took the cup again. After several more shots, the Black Dragon started to hiccup. He giggled, his face flushing under the black scales. Aggra came inside when she felt the tremors start again.

"Is he hiccuping again?" she asked.

"He is," said Thrall.

"Garrosh isn't going to like this," said Aggra. "We have to get him out of Orgrimmar, now!"

Thrall pulled the covers off of Neltharion and grabbed his claw.

"Come on, let's go," he said. Neltharion moaned as he got up off the bed, his head still swimming a little. His vision seemed to crack with stars just as he attempted to rise from the bed. Neltharion rolled off the bed, hitting the floor. Thrall grunted, lifting a palm to his face and shaking his head. The Earth-Warder rose up from the floor, his body shaking and his vision filled with even brighter stars. Aggra and Thrall took hold of Neltharion and slowly guided him down the stairs.

"What about the ale?" Neltharion asked.

"Forget the ale," said Aggra.

Thrall and Aggra lead the Earth-Warder out the door of the inn and down through the streets of Orgrimmar. Neltharion hiccuped, causing another tremor to roll under their feet. Thrall looked up to see some of the buildings attached to the levels of the upper walls begin to shake. The moment they reached the open area before the massive palisade doors, Neltharion shook Thrall and Aggra off of him. His form grew out, becoming bigger. It did not take long for him to reach his true size. While he was returning to his true size, Garrosh followed by his elite warriors marched for them. The Warchief's face twisted into a scowl when he looked upon Neltharion's droopy head. He could still smell a small whiff of the ale.

"Thrall!" he bellowed. "What's he still doing here?"

"We were just leaving," said Thrall. "You don't have to worry about the Earth-Warder causing anymore problems in Orgrimmar."

"Oh, what a shame, and here I was thinking that Deathwing could join the Horde," said Garrosh. "You know, have him raid Stormwind for us."

"Garrosh," began Aggra. "The Earth-Warder must remain a neutral power between the struggles us mortals have. His only concern is to the safety of Azeroth itself."

Garrosh's brown face flushed bright red, his huge hands balled up into tight fists. He let loose a bellow, which only made Neltharion's head pound even more. The Black Dragon knelt down, holding his head with a claw. He growled deeply, curling his lip against his fangs.

"Are all three of you complete morons?" Garrosh asked. "Of course I don't want that blasted monster to join the Horde! He's more trouble than he's worth! Get him the hell out of my damned city!"

"We're going," said Thrall. The doors opened wide to let the three out of Orgrimmar.

"And I don't want that beast near my city ever again, do you understand me?" Garrosh asked.

Neltharion blinked, his eyes narrowed when he heard Garrosh refer to him as a 'beast'. The enormous Black Dragon lowered his head down to the much smaller mortal creature before him, his mouth drew back into a feral sneer. Smoke appeared before his nostrils as his eyes glinted with a deepening, fiery rage.

"What did you call me, soft-body?" he asked the Warchief.

"A beast," said Garrosh. "Which is exactly what you are!"

"I...am...no...beast..." Neltharion said, his growling deeply at the orc.

"Neltharion?" Thrall asked.

"Just a moment, Thrall," said Neltharion. "It's high time this little mortal learns some respect to his betters. Do you have any idea who I am, mortal? Do you know who you are talking to?"

Garrosh snorted, crossing his arms. The warriors around him pulled out their blades, ready to defend their leader, but Garrosh waved to them.

"Lower your weapons," he said. "Tell me, Aspect of Death, just who are you?"

"You are mistaken," said Neltharion. "I am not Deathwing. However, I am Neltharion, the Earth-Warder. Do you like the comfort of knowing you stand on solid ground, mortal?"

"Yes."

"Good," said Neltharion. "I am glad. Each time you walk upon the solid ground of Azeroth, I want you to remember me. I am the master of the ground you walk upon. And if I so wish, I could just decide that Durotar needs a new volcano and have it grow right out from the center of your precious city. The ground you walk on will not seem so solid after all, now would it? I would watch what you say to me next time, Garrosh."

Garrosh paused in his thoughts, blinking for a moment. He was not used to knowing what fear was, but standing so close to the massive Black Dragon's head, he soon learned its meaning. He shuffled his feet with uneasiness, feeling the eyes of the Black Dragon burn away at his flesh. Neltharion had him locked into his gaze and he could not tear away, not even for a moment.

_Listen to me, orc. You and your brothers are trespassers upon my precious planet. You are nothing more than bacteria that does not belong here. Unless you wish for me to order Azeroth to expel you from it, I suggest you treat me with more respect._

Garrosh felt his jaw move slightly, opening up and closing much like a fish's mouth when it gasped, suffocating in the air. His arms were limp, but he stood there before Neltharion as solid as a rock. He could not even tremble before the Earth-Warder. Thrall glanced between the two beings locked in their gaze. He began to realize what Neltharion was doing to Garrosh. He heard Neltharion had this sort of power, whether or not it came from the Old Gods or it came from the Titans, he had it. In some ways, he feared what sort of damage the Black Dragon was doing to the mind of Garrosh.

"Neltharion," began Thrall. Neltharion blinked, freeing Garrosh from his solidifying gaze. Garrosh breathed, feeling a relief coming on.

"Thrall," he began, holding his head in his hand. "Just get the dragon out of here."

Not a single word was uttered after that command. Garrosh and his orcs walked away, leaving them to freely leave Orgrimmar. Thrall glanced up at Neltharion.

"What did you do to him?" he asked.

"What I do to many who do not know how to show respect," said Neltharion. "I gave Garrosh a lesson he will never forget."

The doors swiftly shut behind them as they made their way out of the city. On foot all three had gained quite a distance away from Orgrimmar. They followed along the road down towards Thunder Ridge where the Cataclysm had now folded the land like a fan and flooded much of it as well through the river that bordered Orgrimmar and the Northern Barrens. Dotted here and there were a few orcish tents and thunder lizards scurried across the red sand.

"I suppose I caused this as well," said Neltharion, scanning across the flooded chasm.

"Yeah, you did," said Thrall.

"Tell me, flooding a desert chasm," the Earth-Warder began. "Good or bad?"

"Depends on who you talk to," said Thrall.

"On the one hand, many homes were destroyed," said Aggra. "On the other, they have an abundance of water. Thirst is not a problem here anymore and the sandstone cleanses it."

"Why are you asking this?" Thrall asked, coming around to Neltharion's front.

"I wonder if I should fix the damage done," said Neltharion. He turned his head to the sound of orc children splashing in the water on the shore. The Black Dragon smiled. "Maybe not."

"You would make this a thirsty land again," said Aggra. "I hope those children will be careful. There are crocolisks in these waters."

"They won't get me!" Neltharion announced just as he ran for the waters. The massive Black Dragon dove into the river, splashing around with his wings playfully in the water. Thrall and Aggra could not help but to laugh at him as he rolled around in the Southfury River. Neltharion lifted his head out, snorting some of the water from his nostrils. Rising up, rivets of water began to run lines off of his black scales and adamantine plates. He fan his wings and shook the water off, sending it in sheets for the two orcs. His throat frill rippled, shaking the rest of the water off of him. Then, Neltharion laughed loudly, sending a mighty tremor through the ground with the sound of his voice. Thrall sensed the ground beneath him, feeling this vibration of happiness echoing deep within the desert. The vibration came from Neltharion. Ten thousand years and this was the very first time he could allow himself to laugh and play. He just wanted to enjoy his freedom.

"Come in, shaman!" Neltharion called out to Thrall. "The water's fine!"

"No thank you," said Thrall. "Those crocolisks might not like you, but I'm sure they'll like me."

"The mighty Thrall afraid to get a little wet?" Aggra asked.

"No, let's just let him have his fun," said Thrall.

Neltharion eyed him with a mischievous thought. Angling his body sideways, he raised his tail up out of the water. Thrall looked up just as the blade came down, splashing into the water and sending a mighty wave for him. Both orcs ducked down as the wave washed over them, thoroughly drenching them in water. Thrall pulled back his hood and shook his head, slinging the water around with his braids. He looked back at Aggra, who was laughing and shaking the water off of her. The air filled with Neltharion's boisterous laughter and the ground continued to vibrate beneath them. He had not laughed like this in over ten thousand years. He missed laughter.

"Oh, you think you're funny, don't you?" Thrall asked, shaking the last bit of water off of him.

The Black Dragon emerged from the bank, slinging the rest of the water off of him and onto Thrall again.

"I'm a hoot!" he replied. "Besides, unless you want to ride on my back, you'll have to get in that river sooner or later."

"I was hoping you'd offer your back," said Thrall. "It would save our feet."

Neltharion's bright face grew dark and his head dipped down: "I'm...having a little trouble flying."

"You are?" Thrall asked.

"I haven't had control of my body in so long," began Neltharion. "I've forgotten how to fly properly. I fly as awkwardly as a whelp."

"Well, you're not going to get any better by walking," said Aggra. "You need the practice. So, fly us over the river."

"The sooner we can get aloft, the faster we'll get to the the Great Divide," said Thrall.

"The Great Divide?" asked Neltharion. He took in a deep breath upon realizing what Thrall was referring to. "Oh...that. Why do you want to show me that?"

"Because you need to see it," said Thrall. "It'll give you perspective."

"Perspective," said Neltharion. He lowered his damp body down, extending an enormous, muscled foreleg out to the two orcs. They began to climb up the foreleg, taking hold of his scales as they scaled to the top. Aggra and Thrall soon took hold of the adamantine plates that were fitted to this spines and threw themselves up onto his shoulders. Once Neltharion felt that they were comfortable, he slowly rose. Thrall knew there was a huge difference between riding on Kalecgos and riding on Neltharion. Kalecgos' neck was not early as thick.

"Hold on as tightly as you can," said Neltharion.

He took off in a gallop across the bank of the river, kicking up dust as he went. Thrall looked over his side to see the two massive, black, tattered wings begin to unfurl. He noticed some of the adamantine armor were still on the leading digits. Alexstrasza could not remove all of them, it seemed. Though, it did give Neltharion character, but Thrall had a feeling that particular character was not what Neltharion wanted. He ducked down as the wind began to rush up against his face. Aggra wrapped her arms around his thick waist, pressing up against him. She closed her eyes tightly, praying to the Earth Mother that it would all be over soon as Neltharion picked up speed. Neltharion gave a swift flap of his wings and then leapt into the sky, followed by another powerful downbeat. For a while, he flew rather low to the ground, dust continued to rise with the wind his wings caused, but then he slowly began to rise. Thrall could feel the powerful muscles in the Black Dragon working in harmony as they rose him higher and higher. Thrall had to take a moment to realize what he was doing. He was riding on Deathwing's back. When Neltharion turned his head slightly, an emerald eye focusing upon Thrall, those thoughts immediately vanished. This was not Deathwing, nor will he ever want to be Deathwing. He was Neltharion, the Earth-Warder, a being that shamans like Thrall should have come to respect and admire for his wisdom and love of the earth and the life that grew upon it. It was a shame that never came to be within the ten thousand years Deathwing had control. Thrall hoped that he could be the first that would give the respect a shaman should to the Earth-Warder, and someday show others the same as well. After all the druids had Ysera, the mages had Kalecgos, healers and protectors of life had Alexstrasza as the symbol of their ideals to live up to, the shamans had no Aspect to turn to for guidance when they needed it. Most of the time, they would turn to Ysera, but still, they had no one.

Until now.

It was all about trying to reconnect with him after ten thousand years of nothing.

Neltharion scanned the ground as he flew over it. The desert gave way to the savannah that he once flew over while drunk off of ale. He hoped that perhaps one of the settlements that covered the Northern Barrens would have some barrels of ale there. He could not find the settlements, but what he did find was rather disturbing. Before him in the long stretch of land was a massive, glowing scar. He smelled the scent of brimstone burning in the air and clouds of choking smoke rise up from the glowing sound splitting the Barrens.

The Shattering caused this, his Shattering.

The upheaval of the ground that split the Barrens caused, sharp mountain ranges to rise up following the length of the crack. Neltharion landed just at the very edge of the Great Divide, a name adequately given, and peered over its cliff. Churning, bubbling, flaming rivers of molten lava flowed out from a deep fissure below and continued to run along the gorge itself. Parts of the river had cooled, creating blackened, solidified scum at the top that jiggled each time gas would burst from it in heated air and flames. He heard the chasm hiss and bubble, which, for the first time, made him sick to his stomach.

"Oh..." Neltharion swallowed his bile as he turned his head away. "Oh...what have I done? What have I done?"

He leaned down to the ground and Thrall and Aggra slid off his back.

"Why did you want me to come here?" asked Neltharion.

"Perspective," said Thrall.

"What does that mean?"

"Look at all that has happened," said Thrall. "Just by your eruption out of Deepholm. That should tell you something."

"It tells me that the last thing my powers should be is in the wrong hands," said Neltharion. He stared back at the chasm. "Even mine."

"That's not it at all," said Thrall.

"You tell me then!" said Neltharion. "This land of Kalimdor. There was no other land than that of Kalimdor long ago. Then the Sundering happened. I was partially responsible for that! Deathwing's little device that he made me create, when it fell into the wrong hands..." he paused and extended his wings, leaning back onto his haunches with his forelegs spread wide. "BOOM! Just...BOOM. I had a job to do, my job...I kept the world from being harsh and hazardous. I made sure that the people who lived here never wanted for nothing. Azeroth was a paradise! That was my job, to make sure everyone had what they needed, resources, water, fertile land, clean air...so there would be no wars. No one would fight over never having enough of one thing because they had enough of what they needed and even more! I made sure they had the freedom to do whatever they wanted...then the Sundering happened, caused by a fallen Titan, but I helped."

He paused for a moment, his voice cracking into a sob. Neltharion wiped a tear away from his eyes.

"We all banded together against the Burning Legion, strength in numbers. Dragons and the mortals we protected. But my Demon Soul, the secret weapon Deathwing made me shed my own blood upon to create, it did more than just destroy the demons, it created fear for all. And I sat and watched through my distorted vision while Deathwing commanded my body to crush everyone including our allies. And then following the Sundering, he lowered the mountains and took away the resources. With my powers he made the air foul, water poisoned, and land dry and infertile. The people of Azeroth had no choice but to then turn upon their brothers for the very need of survival and Deathwing just laughed at their struggles. The War of the Ancients may have been the first war upon Azeroth, but it was not the first war that Azerotheans were forced to fight against each other in. The War of the Ancients was a war to protect Azeroth, but all other wars..."

Neltharion shook his head.

"You have no idea what pain this has caused me," he said to Thrall and Aggra. "To sit and watch my world be torn apart by nothing more than an emotion that anyone could have. Everyone has anger, everyone has hatred for something. It's natural. But to see it personified and take control...and be shackled and made to watch as that demon destroy all that I vowed to protect. It's inexcusable. Seeing my flight be killed off by all the other flights, yes, that hurt me too. Not as much as this. Though, it wasn't their fault. Deathwing's evil infected them and they did not act on their own. My flight became nothing more than shadows, puppets that Deathwing danced around upon strings. Some of me was just happy that they did die so that they would not be tormented by him anymore."

He slowly lowered himself to the ground, staring sadly at the massive chasm before him.

"Tell me, what do you call this?" he asked.

"That is the Great Divide," said Aggra.

"No, that's not what I'm talking about," said Neltharion. "I mean all of this, all the destruction that I caused when I came out of Deepholm?"

"That, the Shattering," said Thrall. "Thought you knew that."

"I've heard it being uttered here and there," said Neltharion. "Any other names?"

"Cataclysm," said Aggra. "And the Second Sundering."

"Perfect," said Neltharion sighed. "I helped cause the First Sundering, why not the Second?"

He raised his massive head up and looked out towards the Southern Barrens. Green, fertile land grew all around the area just behind the crack itself. Neltharion felt a small smile upon his face. There was life being made on the other side of the crack.

"What is that?" he asked.

"The Overgrowth," said Thrall. "It was created by a Night Elf druid who wanted to bring life back to some parts of the Barrens. There's shade, cool water, all sorts of plentiful fruits. It's on the Alliance controlled side of the Barrens and stretches to the mountains that border the Dusthallow Marsh. At the center, it is believed that the Emerald Nightmare infected it, but these parts are safe."

"And there's an Alliance camp just to the east inside the Overgrowth," said Aggra. "Where we may find something to eat and drink if they are so generous to members of the Earthen Ring. And since they are affiliated with Theramore Isle, seeing you there, Thrall, may make them friendly to us."

"It's because Jaina still likes me," said Thrall. "I only hope her kindness extends to those she commands as well."

Aggra then turned to Neltharion: "However, I don't think the same would apply to you."

Neltharion lowered his head down to them and they got back on.

"You can tell them you captured me," he said. "And that you're taking me to Theramore."

"Why Theramore?" asked Thrall asked.

"So once there, I can drink myself blind at their tavern," said Neltharion as he leapt over the chasm.

"Not a good idea, Neltharion," said Thrall. "I don't want you getting drunk."

"You are not my _mother_, mortal," said Neltharion. "Because...I have no mother!"

Thrall lowered his head into his hands and let loose a frustrated groan.

"How do we explain to Jaina about him?" Aggra asked. "We can't just fly into Theramore Isle riding his back."

"Let's hope the camp has a hearthstone then," said Thrall. "I'll be needing to make a call."

0

The last thing Corporal Teegan wanted was to remain in the Overgrowth for another few weeks. Originally, he and his men were ordered to march from Northwatch Hold and invade the Horde-controlled Northern Barrens, but since they sent back reports of the unnatural forest springing up just over night and of course the massive lava-filled crack separating them from their target, they had to make camp. It was then, they got new orders to monitor what all was going on in this area and report back any suspicious activity to their commander. Besides being randomly attacked by raptors or other creatures now finding home in the strange jungle during the day, the nights resting in the Overgrowth were just as rough. At night, he had horrible nightmares. They all had horrible nightmares. A kindly druid stopped by for a rest and Teegan began to chat with him. He learned what was causing his nightmares. The thing called the Emerald Nightmare was making its way into the forest itself and anyone asleep fell pray to it. There was always a threat that they would be caught in their sleep and never to awaken, trapped in the warped vision that had plagued the Green Dream. So, he ordered his men to keep watch each night, taking turns to sleep. So far, the Emerald Nightmare had relinquished some of its hold on the oasis, but its presence was still felt to dreamers.

Ol' Durty Pete, a white-bearded dwarf along with the expedition, managed to concoct a brew of sorts that seemed to stave off the ill effects of the Emerald Nightmare. Unfortunately, it came in the form of the most foul-tasting moonshine mixed with some hallucinogenic mushrooms found around the oasis. It often left the drinker screaming incomprehensible babbles and writing strange symbols in the ground. However, after taking one drink, the corporal ordered that no one should do so ever again. Though that did not stop Pete from stashing the brew.

The sun was setting, but it did not relieve the sticky heat of the jungle. A mosquito flew up and landed on Teegan's cheek. He reached up to smack it off his face. He got up off his chair and straightened his tabard. Upon his chest was the symbol of Theramore Isle, a golden boat anchor, where he was currently assigned to serve. Teegan turned when he heard Hanna Bridgewater walk up to him.

"Sir," she began. "I saw two orcs. They're heading for us."

"Orcs?" he asked. "Goucho, Pete, get your gear! We've got orcs!"

"It's 'bout time," said Goucho as he came towards the tent carrying his large battle axe. "I was gettin' a might bored."

"Corporal," began Hannah. "Here's the thing, I didn't see the Horde banner on them and they don't look like they are spying on anyone. They just look like they're walking through the woods, however, they are heading for our camp."

"Then, we should meet them," said Teegan, drawing his sword. He heard feet shuffle about the forest around them as the two orcs appeared, approaching them. One of the orcs produced a rather massive hammer only to set it down on the ground. The other also lowered her weapons.

"We mean you no harm," called the first orc. "I am Thrall."

"Thrall?" Teegan asked. "Warchief Thrall of the Horde?"

"Ex-Warchief," said Thrall. "I am associated with the Earthen Ring. We are neutral in the troubles between the Alliance and the Horde, however, when I was Warchief, I did promote peace between our two nations."

"Yes, I know," said Teegan. He lowered his sword in kind, finding it better not to threaten the more powerful orc. "What brings you to our camp?"

"I was wondering if you have a hearthstone," said Thrall.

"Why?" asked Goucho. "So you can call your Horde buddies?"

"No," said Thrall. "So I can call Jaina Proudmoore."

"Why would you call Lady Proudmoore?" asked Hannah, tilting her head in confusion.

"I...have a prisoner I wish to hand over to her and Theramore Isle," said Thrall. "And seeing that you bare the mark of Theramore, I would believe you have a way of allowing me to contact her."

"Our stone only reaches to a switchboard in Northwatch Hold," said Teegan. "But before I even let you use our stone, what prisoner do you have that you wish to hand over to the Alliance?"

"Perhaps you should see him for yourself," said Thrall. "Come out, Neltharion."

They felt the tremor of massive footfalls through the dirt and heard the sounds of trees being knocked over one by one. Something enormous was making its way through the enchanted jungle. Thrall turned behind him when he heard a few massive stumbles through the trees. He slowly cast his eyes upward as a massive Black Dragon covered in adamantine plates and an large adamantine lower jaw fumbled through the jungle. The Black Dragon looked to be walking on his left knuckle for some strange reason. With eyes wide, mouths dropped, Teegan, Hannah, and Goucho stared in absolute shock and horror, realizing just who this enormous, black behemoth was.

"It can't be!" Hannah said, stepping back to peer up at the massive Black Dragon.

"I...I don't believe it!" Goucho said.

"Deathwing!" said Teegan. "D–Deathwing? He's your prisoner?"

"Sorta," said Thrall.

"And you're handing him over to us?" asked Hannah.

"Yes," said Aggra.

"Why?" asked Hannah.

"Because Garrosh, the current Warchief kicked him out," said Thrall.

"Kicked him out?" asked Goucho. "Did I just fall asleep and now I'm in some strange dream?"

"I see him too," said Teegan. "So, Garrosh does not want him and you want to hand him over to the Alliance? Um..why?"

"We would like to hand him over to Theramore," said Aggra.

"Why Theramore?" asked Teegan.

"Um," Thrall began, scratching his head. He glanced back up at Neltharion who had an odd, goofy grin on his face. That was when he noticed the cupped claw. "Uh...Neltharion...what's wrong?"

"I was about to..." Neltharion paused and let loose a hiccup. "Ask you the same...thing. Thrall, why are...you purple...and upside-down?"

The Earth-Warder's head wagged heavily and he continued to hiccup. Thrall felt the ground tremble beneath his feet.

"What was that?" asked Hannah.

"That was a hiccup," said Thrall.

"I'd hate to know what a belch is like," said Goucho. "He'd probably make the Divide wider."

"Azeroth's in the sky!" Neltharion giggled, pointing up. to the reddening sky above. "I...I swear I didn't...I didn't put it there!"

"Aggra, what happened to him?" Thrall asked.

"I told him to wait until we got to the camp and he did..."

The Black Dragon fell to his back, kicking up dirt around him. Tears formed in his eyes as he laughed, his maddened giggles interrupted by hiccups.

"Did he hide a barrel from Orgrimmar?" asked Thrall.

"I didn't see one," said Aggra.

"Oh...hi, Mr. Butterfly," said Neltharion, waving a claw at nothing. "Can I have some of that hookah you're smoking?"

"Okay," Hannah began, lifting her hands up to attempt to quieten the odd scene she was taking part of, approaching Thrall. "Besides the fact that thing happens to be Deathwing...is he drunk?"

"He's hallucinating!" said Goucho.

"Oh no..." Teegan sighed as he sat down on a log near the camp fire pit. As if on cue, out came a white-bearded dwarf, looking around as if he lost something.

"Has anyone seen my still?" he asked. He paused when he saw Teegan looking back at him. "Did I say still? I meant my chemistry set..."

"Pete!" Tegan cried. "I told you to get rid of that mushroom-laced hooch!"

"I...uh," Pete began as his eyes shifted around. He then caught the sight of his metallic fermentation machine in the claw of the Black Dragon, who then lifted it up just to drink the final drop. "Oh no! You didn't just...he didn't just...he didn't drink the whole thing, did he?"

"What did he drink?" Thrall asked.

"A mixture of bath salts, druidic remedies for the common cough, the fermented juice of some of the local fruit, that we found safe to eat around here," began Teegan. "And a dried, powdered form of a hallucinogenic mushroom we found growing here."

"The druids use the mushroom in small doses to help them fight the Emerald Nightmare," said Hannah. "We used it to keep ourselves...entertained...as well as keep ourselves from going comatose each time we rested at night. This place had become cursed by the Emerald Nightmare and every time we went to sleep, we ran the risk of getting caught in it. But apparently, the Emerald Nightmare doesn't like drunken, hallucinating morons running around in the nude, calling themselves King Varian Wynn and brandishing a sword, saying that giant invisible rock monsters are out to get them." She turned to Teegan, who then gave a sheepish smile. "Though rock monsters are real, I have yet to get the report on invisible ones. So, I think it's just the booze talking."

"Well, luckily he's already naked," said Thrall. "Don't have to worry about that part."

"So, let me get this straight, Neltharion just drank moonshine?" asked Aggra.

"Moonshine laced with mushrooms used for halucenagenics by druids," said Teegan. "Yes, I know, we decided against drinking anymore of that stuff. Well, most of us."

"Besides it tasting like burning tar," said Hannah.

Thrall turned around to the sounds of Neltharion still giggling.

"There is no way that small still could affect something that big," he said. "Neltharion, did you...eat or drink anything else?"

Neltharion turned to Thrall, grinning with a blank grin.

"Well...I got a little thirsty..." he said, his speech heavily slurred. "And I found that little still. Whatever was in it, it smelled good. But then, after I drank some of that, I just thought...something needed to go with it. So, I found these mushrooms...and a couple of boars..."

"Stop!" said Thrall, raising his hands up to the Earth-Warder. "Alexstrasza is going to eat me knowing that not only did I get you drunk, but also high."

"Alex...Alex...can just...have...a big...metal...pole shoved up...her ass..." Neltharion snorted. His head dropped hard like a rock and his body fell limp. His eyes closed and Thrall could hear the sound of the dragon's loud snore echo through the jungle. The Earth-Warder was out like a light.

"Alright," said Thrall. "He is not going anywhere for a while. Do you mind if we make camp with you?"

"I don't think you have a choice," said Hannah, turning her head to the now unconscious Aspect. "Sir?"

"I suppose we can share our fire with you," said Teegan. "And I can start on that call to Theramore."

He went into the tent for the hearthstone. Hannah looked towards Thrall and then back towards Neltharion.

"Just how did you capture Deathwing?" she asked. "And I thought I heard he was dead."

"It is a long story," said Thrall. "And it is hard to explain. But that is why I need to speak to Jaina. Once we get him to Theramore, perhaps she can then tell Alexstrasza that we have her brother here."

"So, he really isn't your prisoner, is he?" said Hannah.

"No," said Thrall. "But he needs to go back to Dragonblight...before he...gets into more trouble."

"That would be a good idea," said Hannah. "The farther he's away from the inhabited areas of Azeroth, I think the better we all will be."

"Don't let him hear you say that," said Thrall. "I think he's believes he's on some mission to fix all the damage he's done to Azeroth during the Shattering. And also, drink himself blind."

"That's...charitable of him," said Hannah. "But the drinking part..not so much."

"Aye," said Goucho. "Why the change of heart then? Deathwing is all about death."

"Because," began Aggra. "That's not Deathwing, at least not anymore."

0

Commander Tarc got up just as he heard the sound of the stone vibrate on his desk. He reached out to touch it.

"Commander, this is Corporal Teegan from Outpost 58," began the voice emanating from the enchanted stone. "I have come in contact with two orcs from the Earthen Ring."

"Earthen Ring?" Tarc asked.

"One of them being Thrall," said Teegan. "And they have a prisoner they wish to hand over to the Alliance."

"Why would they hand over a prisoner to us?" asked Tarc.

"Because apparently Warchief Garrosh didn't want him," Teegan said in a sigh.

"Who is the prisoner?"

"It's Deathwing."

"Who?" Tarc asked.

"Deathwing," said Teegan.

"Are you sure?" Tarc asked, leaning over to scratch his honey-colored hair.

"I'm sure," said Teegan. "What big black dragon with metal plates welded to his body and a big medal chin do you know of, sir?"

"Deathwing," said Commander Tarc. "And Thrall wants to hand him over to us?"

"Actually, sir," began Teegan. "He specifically stated he wishes to hand him over to Theramore."

"Why Theramore?"

"Um...he didn't specify. But he said he wanted to talk to Lady Proudmoore about it."

"And why is that?"

"Hopefully to send Deathwing back to Dragonblight," said Teegan. "And away from us."

Tarc sighed again, placing his head in his hand. He ran his hand through his hair and took a small moment to take it all in.

"Alright, I will inform Lady Proudmoore," he said. "And you have better be telling the truth in this. And hopefully you're not on that home-grown hooch your dwarf was making."

"I gave it up," said Teegan. "However, Deathwing found where Pete stashed it, and did us the favor and drank the entire still dry."

"He drank it?" asked Tarc. "And..."

"Out cold," said Teegan. "After claiming Azeroth was up in the sky, Thrall was purple, and kept asking an invisible butterfly for his hookah."

"If only I was there," Tarc laughed. "At least he's not...destroying things."

"No, he's just sleeping, but he may wake up with the worst headache he ever had in his life."

"Again, allow me to express my disdain for not being there," said Tarc. "Very well, corporal, I will see if I can pass this on to Lady Proudmoore and I will get back to you tomorrow with your orders on what to do with the ex-Warchief and his...new pet."

"Yes, sir," said Teegan.

"Just keep an eye on both of them."

"That won't be hard, sir.

"Good," said Tarc. "Expect a call from me tomorrow with further orders. Good night, corporal."

"Good night, sir," said Teegan.


	5. V

**V**

Calia Hastings walked as quickly as she could through the halls of Proudmoore Estate. She looked about at the lavish tapestries hanging on the walls, moving gently through the drafty corridors. The stain glass windows cast a myriad of lovely colors upon the cobble stone floors. Each designs on the windows told the story the Proudmoore's standing upon Theramore Isle, securing this large stronghold in Kalimdor for the Alliance. A red carpet baring the coat of arms of Proudmoore lead her towards the main hall of audience at the center of the estate. There, the lovely, golden-haired Lady Jaina Proudmoore stood in waiting for her. The arch mage was dressed in a robe with the symbol of the Kirin Tor was embroidered upon the sash. She held her staff in her right hand and a scroll in her left. Jaina slowly approached Calia just as she paused and bowed.

"Lady Proudmoore," said Calia.

"I should be bowing to you," said Jaina.

"Calia rose back up and gave a sweet smile: "In another life, perhaps." Her smile faded. "But that life is over."

Her voice held a hint of regret that spoke about her past. That part of her life was over, something she was grateful for. Simple memories of what it used to be brought her much pain. She lost so much from that life, her loving father, her caring brother, her title, and her home. Calia's blue eyes focused for a brief moment off of Jaina when she thought back to that life and her hand moved up to a golden and diamond encrusted band around her finger. Jaina looked down upon the woman's finger, seeing the band.

"I see you still wear the ring he gave you, Princess Prestor."

"Calia's mouth drew into a fine line and her eyes flashed when she heard Jaina call her by that name.

"Do not call me that," she said.

"Why wear the ring?" Jaina asked.

"To remind me everyday of why I still live," replied Calia. "One day, I will slay that monster who broke my and my father's heart."

"I would say you may get that chance," began Jaina, walking around Calia. "However, we do need him alive."

"Why?"

Jaina lifted the scroll that was in her hand to Calia. She took it from the ruler of Theramore and opened it up.

"He still lives?" Calia gasped. "And he's here? That bastard's here?"

"Not yet," said Jaina. "He is on his way, though. He is being delivered by the one who defeated him."

Calia slung her brunette hair behind her and gave a slight crooked smile at this news. She thumbed the ring again.

"Do not kill him," said Jaina. "We want him alive."

"Why?"

"Because we have no one else to take up his job," said Jaina. "From what the Earthen Ring has told us, in order to make another Dragon Aspect, the Embrace must happen. A worthy candidate must be chosen and the previous Aspect dead. However, it takes about 300 years for another Embrace to occur and I fear for Azeroth if we go that long without an Aspect of Earth. We have no choice, he must remain alive at least for another 3 centuries."

Calia sighed, crossing her arms. Jaina placed her hand on her shoulder.

"That does not mean you can't be a little rough with him," she said. "Considering what all he's done to you. After all, he can take it. He's the largest, toughest dragon in the world, he can take whatever you dish out."

"At least I will get the opportunity to beat him senseless," said Calia.

"Indeed," said Jaina.

"When will he arrive?" Calia asked.

"Soon," said Jaina. "He's taken on a habit, though, from what I heard. Instead of wanting to destroy all of Azeroth, he's on a bent of self-destruction."

"If he decides to drown himself in the most potent of dwarven liquor for breaking my heart," Calia began. "Then so be it. Let that hideous monstrosity do so. It might be funny. At least he's learned his lesson. How dare he use my feelings to destroy my family and my country!"

"Calia," began Jaina. "There's something you must know about him. Thrall told me all about what happened when he was defeated. Lord Prestor, if we are to refer to him by that name, suffers from a condition called Split Personality. All the things he did to you and to King Terenas, to House Menethil and Lordaeron to become the new ruler of Alterac...was done under the command of a separate personality. He may not even remember that he hurt you. Though he did not seem like it during the time, he was in fact mentally ill."

"You're joking!" Calia said. "He's...he's a Dragon Aspect and he's an idiot?"

"Not an idiot, it doesn't affect intelligence, but it does affect moral decisions," said Jaina. "From what I've heard. This was all the doing of the Old Gods. Thrall told me a lot when he came back from Dragonblight. Prestor...Neltharion the Earth-Warder was supposed to be in the care of his younger sister Alexstrasza until he was emotionally well enough to return to his duties after he was freed from the Old Gods' influence on him. He escaped. What I'm saying is, if you start beating him for the actions that he as Deathwing under the guise of Lord Daval Prestor, he will be confused. He wouldn't understand why you are attacking him. Just...be careful."

"You told me it was alright!" said Calia. "I want to make that overgrown lizard pay!"

Her olive-toned face flushed with red.

"If he gets out of line, then give him a good whack on the head, Calia," said Jaina. "But for now, just watch it."

"Fine," said Calia. "But I make no promises."

0

Neltharion awoke, his head felt heavy, his eyes drooped. He never felt so comfortable just lying down in his life and he wanted to stay curled up for as long as he could. He let loose a low purr, turning his head to the ground and rubbing his cheek against the grass. The grass was soft, much like the fur pillow and blanket he was under when he slept in Orgrimmar. He continued to push his face against the grass, enjoying the sensation of it caressing his cheek, his sharp horns digging gashes into the ground itself. Then, he rolled over and rubbed his back against the ground, rumbling pleasantly, spreading his dark wings wide. He the sound of laughter in the distance and his head quickly jerked up. As he slowly drew back into consciousness, he became aware of his surroundings. Before him was a vale of lush, green forests and winding, twisting, whimsical land formations. It was all cloaked in a soft myst of green. Stars twinkled above and almost appeared to dance merrily around in the night sky. He heard the giggle of a girl again echo through a shadowy patch of the forest and he slowly rose up to his feet.

He slowly moved through the glowing green myst, the trees themselves almost moving aside to let him pass. Ht was beautiful, what he was seeing before him, almost like it was a dream itself.

The Green Dream, or the Emerald Dream...this was the home of Ysera, his youngest sister. He had visited this place many times before and he could easily pass between the waking world and this one. This was Azeroth, or rather what Azeroth looked like prior to the machinations of mortals. However, it changed each time Azeroth changed to match the landscape. Here, it looked to be as if he was standing in the strange oasis, only different. Neltharion looked behind him and saw shapes of rippling ethereal light lying down, and then one large, black shape sleeping right next to them. The massive black shape was his body and the smaller ones were of his companions and the new acquaintances they made. He thought he heard himself snore, turning over to go into an even deeper sleep.

"I actually snore that loud?" Neltharion asked himself.

He gave a shake to his head and then walked away, deciding to find where that giggling sound was coming from. Neltharion continued to hear the laugh playfully dance around him in the shadows of the trees.

"Neltharion!" the voice called. "Neltharion! I'm so happy you visited me!"

"What?" Neltharion asked, looking around for the source of the voice.

"Neltharion, over here!"

He paused just as several green dragons leapt out of the trees, smiles upon their bright faces. Neltharion looked around at the smaller dragons, trying his best to not look imposing.

"Um, hello," he said. "I'm not here to cause trouble..."

"We know, Earth-Warder," began one of the green dragons. "Ysera calls you to her. Come."

Around him and the other dragons were glinting, sparkling balls of pink, green, and blue lights. They flew playfully around his body, and he thought he heard them giggle each time they passed his head. He came upon a large grove where a massive Green Dragon laid upon her belly, resting peacefully. Though she was not as big as him, she was much larger than the largest of the green wyrms around her. Neltharion smiled sweetly when he saw his little sister lying there in the middle of the grove. Ysera, the Dreamer. She rose her head up, though her eyes were still closed. Only a few times had she needed to open them, the last was to fight him, but now, she could close them again. Though her eyes were closed, she did not need them to see, she could see him perfectly well, standing there stately in the green mist. She rose up slowly and came to him, her smile broadening. Then, Ysera reared back and threw her arms around her elder brother.

"You are having good dreams!" she said. "I'm so happy for you, big brother!"

Neltharion allowed himself to wrap his massive wings around her, lowering his metallic chin upon her head.

"Sometimes my dreams are sad, Ysera," he said.

"They are better than the ones you used to have with Deathwing was in control," said Ysera as she pulled away. "They were all nightmares, horrible nightmares. I almost want to say they were the reasons why I woke up. I'm so glad you're here."

"Now," began Neltharion. "I think I'm having an odd dream caused by that moonshine with the mushroom."

"The mushrooms did help my druids connect to the Dream," said Ysera. "By they weren't meant to be taken like that! You're so silly, Neltharion! Even when you dream while you're awake, you're silly."

Neltharion chuckled.

"I missed that about you," said Ysera. "I think that's what I missed the most. You always had playful, happy dreams. It's good to see those dreams again, even if they don't make any sense. They were colorful."

She turned her head up to the sky.

"I think the Dream burst into fireworks when you started eating those mushrooms," Ysera laughed. Her face grew dark and she lowered her head, staring at her feet. "It isn't about your happy dreams that I snatched you away for."

"Is there something wrong?" he asked.

"There are many things wrong," she replied. "But, I do want to say she still loves you."

"She?" Neltharion asked.

"She, your lady friend in Theramore," said Ysera. "Deep inside, she still loves you. And with that love, you two will be able to stop a horrible event that could very well happen. And together, you will save Azeroth. Malygos is so happy, you know. He talks about how he got his friend back. I never heard a spirit so light and vigorous."

"Malygos?" Neltharion asked. "You...you spoke to him too?"

"Yes!" Ysera replied. She laughed and held onto Neltharion's thick foreleg. "I heard him! He's doing circles in the sky. I think the only one who is still upset is Alexstrasza. I don't understand why. She worries too much. But what good are you going to do just sitting at Wyrmrest, freezing your tail off?"

Neltharion laughed again.

"And how would you and her get together?" asked Ysera.

"I...I still don't know who 'she' is."

"You're wife, silly! My sister-in-law."

Neltharion tore away from Ysera.

"Wife?"

"She's pretty," said Ysera. "For a human, I mean. Deathwing knew how to pick them. But she has a lot more to give you than just what Deathwing had planned for her. He hurt her so much, you know. She blames you for it. You need to show her that you care for her and you will be with her and treat her like she's the most special person in the world. Don't treat her like the way Deathwing did."

"I...I can't go out with a human I don't even know!" Neltharion said, turning away from his sister. "What about getting a consort, trying to rebuild my flight for when the time comes that we all need to get together and fight the Old Gods? Isn't that why you all spared me?"

"You know very well you don't have to be the sole progenitor of your flight," said Ysera. "Onyxia and Nefarian did just fine without you."

"Through incest!" Neltharion bellowed. "How...how could Deathwing let them do that?"

"Deathwing was sick," said Ysera. "Your flight have their own feelings about you, brother. None of them good. Though, they have returned to their ways of being good and kind to the world, they do not like what you have done to them. I doubt any of them would even want to be a broodmother for you. They much rather rebuild the flight without you."

"So...that's it?" he asked. "I'm useless? The Old Gods were right! I am useless!"

Ysera reared up and clasped her claws upon Neltharion's shoulders.

"No!" she shouted. "No, you're not. You have another job, more important than making little whelps. Azeroth is your charge. Let them handle rebuilding your flight. Once they see you going out of your way to save Azeroth, they will join you again. They must do it under their own decision."

Neltharion took in a deep breath and nodded, once more another smile appeared upon his face. He could not be sad around his cheerful sister and her dream world.

"Your wife will be the thing to remind you of your strength," said Ysera. "Just like Malygos wanted."

Neltharion once more wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling her with his snout. He let loose a purr and she joined him in harmony with her own. Ysera's eyes then opened and her face fell with a growing sorrow building in her heart. There was a painful tinge and she slowly pushed herself away from him. Her colorful eyes looked up at Neltharion and then she led him to a pool near where she was resting.

"You need to see this," she said. "I know what the Old Gods are doing to you again. Even if they say they do not want Deathwing to return, I know for a fact that is a lie. They need him now more than ever! I should have been watching you ten thousand years ago, but now, I am, because that was my mistake as well. Despite the fact we got you back, the vision has not changed."

Her emerald claw touched the water and a ripple flowed out from it. Neltharion knelt down to peer into the water. His reflection was not there, replaced by something more sinister. There, in the water was a scene of a charred, blackened, bleak landscape. Neltharion felt his lungs quiver and his heart tighten as he looked upon the landscape before him. He knew this landscape very well. Dotting the ground were the spines and wings of dragons, all dead. This was Dragonblight. The scene moved over to the first form, a green dragon tied tightly in vines, choked to death, however, trapped in an endless nightmare. This was Ysera. The scene moved again to another dragon, bronze, one trapped in a painful loop in time, his ghostly form looking like nothing more than static. He seemed to age, and then grow young, and then grow old all at the same time. Neltharion knew this to be Nozdormu. The next was also just as bad, the form of a blue dragon solidified in ice and magical energies, forever frozen. This was Kalecgos. The fourth caused him to choke on his own breath. Burned, blackened, nothing more than a mixture of baked flesh and bone, there lay the Queen of Dragons herself, the Life-Binder Alexstrasza. All around them the Elementals held sway over the land while lightning flashed in soot-filled, noxious clouds. Neltharion tore his eyes from the water.

"The scene is not done," said Ysera. "Look. Look at your future!"

Neltharion shook from head to tail as he slowly and stiffly turned back to the pool of water. What he saw made his stomach churn and bile rise to his throat. He wanted to cough, he wanted to vomit, he wanted to turn away again and cast this image aside. There was Wyrmrest Temple, a blackened, craggily, burnt shard of what it used to be. It was the only thing that truly told him this was Dragonblight. However, there, impaled atop the tallest spire was the limp, cracking, glowing body of himself, Neltharion. Lava spewed out from his dead jaws, splashing down over the gates and feeding into a river of lava leading away from the temple. His wings were torn, glowing, full of holes, draping lifelessly over the sides of the temple. Only the wind caused them to show any sort of movement. Much of his armor had been torn from his body while his scales appeared to be melting away from the inside out. Smoke rose out from his back. His eyes were closed. The metallic blade that he once had on his tail was ripped and tossed aside while his lava blood leaked out from the wounds.

Neltharion's brows rose and he let loose a powerful bellow of horror. In his distress, glowing cracks appeared along his body again, splitting off into rips. He flung himself to the ground, curling up in agony as his body continued to rip apart again.

"Neltharion!" Ysera called, trying to take hold of him around the cool areas. "Neltharion."

Ysera wrapped her wings around her ailing brother, rocking him slowly in hopes to calm him. Neltharion felt his body become relaxed and the rips stopped.

"Shhh..." she whispered. She brought his face close to hers and she stared deep into his tearful, green eyes. "Listen to me, Neltharion, you must not fail. For this is what will happen when you let Deathwing win. They will use you again and then they will..." she looked back at the impaled body of her brother over the temple. "Cast you aside. In the world after the Hour of Twilight, the Elementals, the Old Gods, they have no need for us. All of us, we are all what keeps Azeroth protected, we are the symbols of the Titans power. You are the World of Azeroth, I am the Dreams of Azeroth, Kalegos is the Magic of Azeroth, Nozdormu is Azeroth's Past, Present, and Future, and Alexstrasza is the Life of Azeroth. Remember that, big brother, please? Don't let this happen to us."

_Don't let this happen to us..._

He felt his mind slowly withdraw from the dream world, falling slowly back into his body. Neltharion breathed slowly just as his body came alive again, waking up from the dream. He sat forcefully up, gasping for air as if someone was choking him. There was an uneasy feeling in his throat. Neltharion grabbed it, feeling the queasy feeling grow as his stomach began to lurch inside of him. He opened his mouth, retching several times. Then, he got to his shaking feet. His body chilled, his wings trembled. He started off into the jungle, his tail knocking down the tents.

"Hey!" Corporal Teegan called. "What the hell, where's he going?"

Thrall and Aggra awoke and started after the Black Dragon, following as quickly as they could behind him. Teegan and his men followed suit as well. They paused just at the edge of the Overgrowth looking out over the Great Divide. They heard the sounds of someone heaving and retching and then finally vomiting. Thrall and Aggra saw Neltharion lying on the ground, his head over the edge of the chasm. Neltharion lurched and moaned. Then, he thrust his head down into the chasm again, lava erupting out of his mouth. It took Thrall for a moment to realize what the Black Dragon was doing and he still could not believe what he was seeing. Deathwing was vomiting lava. Neltharion coughed and spat, sending hardened shards of obsidian glass out of his mouth and into the lava flow below.

"Damn, he vomits lava," said Goucho. "Makes you wonder, all those time he was burning the landscape, was he just having an upset stomach, or was he using a breath weapon?"

"What is wrong with him?" asked Teegan.

"Hangover," said Pete. "Bad one. I'd get that way too after drinking all of my still! And those mushrooms. Just his body's natural defenses tellin' him...he shouldn'ta done that."

"The inside of his body is made of magma," said Thrall. "I don't think this is caused by a hangover." He slowly walked over to the Black Dragon. "Neltharion?"

He did not reply, continuing to vomit up whatever it was in his stomach that made him ill. No, it was not what he ate or drank last night, it was the dream. He could not forget that dream, that horrible vision Ysera showed him. His brothers and sisters were dead, and himself impaled on Wyrmrest Temple. Neltharion lifted his head up out of the chasm, lava dripping from his jaws. His eyes were heavy, drooping as he looked over at Thrall. He let loose another cough, splashing molten fragments of lava from his mouth. His body shook and his scales looked almost like the color of volcanic ash rather than deep obsidian glass. His breath quivered in his throat and he laid his head down on its side, curling up. There was nothing more that he could vomit up, but still the uneasy feeling swam around in his stomach.

_Oh, did the little whelp see our plans?_

_My, we must take care about who we should tell!_

_You know Thrall knows our plans as well._

_Funny he did not clue you into them, Neltharion._

_The Earth-Warder, impaled on the spire of Wyrmrest. Well, you did say you wanted to be at the top!_

_We were only granting your request!_

His ears became filled with the mocking laughter of the Old Gods.

"No!" he whispered. "Stop talking to me!"

Neltharion held his ears, curling up even tighter.

"I'm not talking to you," said Thrall. "I didn't say anything."

Neltharion opened his eyes focusing on Thrall.

"You!" he bellowed, rising his head up. "You knew! You knew what was going to become of me!"

"Know what?" Thrall asked.

"Impaled...on Wyrmrest!" he said. "My sisters and brothers dead, and me...impaled, dead! Nothing more than a useless pawn they wanted out of the way!"

"The Hour of Twilight," said Thrall. "Yes, I saw that vision. But I thought you knew. You knew they were eventually going to kill you."

"I knew they would," Neltharion said, taking a deep breath to compose himself. "But never that! My siblings, my flight, their flights...all gone. My fault. It's all my fault!"

"No, we have you back as the Earth-Warder," said Aggra. "The Hour of Twilight will not happen. We can rest easy now, it's over!"

Neltharion rose up to his feet, spreading his wings.

"You're wrong!" he bellowed, sending a tremor through the ground. "It will still happen." He lifted his head up to the sky and called out a familiar and baleful line. "The sun has set upon this mortal world! Make peace with your end for the Hour of Twilight falls!"

Thrall took in a deep breath, readying his hammer: "I hope I am not speaking to Deathwing here."

The Black Dragon turned back to the shaman, his head lowering to the ground.

"You're not," he replied, his voice becoming nothing more than a soft, sad whisper. "I am still Neltharion. Ysera showed me the vision she had. I had no idea." He curled up again. "She said that the vision has not changed. I suppose she had been talking to Nozdormu. Even my redemption can't stop the Hour of Twilight."

"Then, there must be something that will," said Thrall.

"Theramore," said Neltharion. "We have to go to Theramore."

"And what's in Theramore?" Teegan asked. "You never really told us why you need to go there so much."

"My...my wife," said Neltharion, a small, weak smile appeared behind the metal brace.

"Wife?" Thrall asked. "When did you have a wife?"

"About a couple of decades ago," said Neltharion. "That is a long story."

"Do you think she will help?" asked Aggra.

"Maybe not in trying to stop the Hour of Twilight," said Neltharion. "But she maybe able to help me find that strength Malygos said I lost. At least that's what Ysera said. Something about she and I have to go on a journey to stop an event from happening that could threaten the world itself. But, you know how...a little weird my sister can be."

"Yes," said Thrall.

"Behind every good man is a woman, as the old saying goes," said Hannah.

"I have sent word to Theramore," said Teegan. "They are expecting you."

"Are you feeling up to flying?" asked Thrall.

"Yes," said Neltharion, extending his wings to give them a test flap. "It...it just needed to get out of my system."

"That's what feels good about a hangover vomit," said Pete. "You feel better afterwards!"

Neltharion rose up onto his feet and gave his scales a shake. He lowered his body down to allow his riders to climb on. Once he felt they were seated comfortably, he then gave a slight grateful nod to the Alliance soldiers.

"We thank you for the hospitality," said Thrall. "And I'm sorry Neltharion drank your...ale."

"Oh, I can just make more," said Pete.

"No, you're not!" shouted Teegan.

"If you make more, let me know," began Neltharion. "I would be a generous customer."

"You are not drinking anymore of that stuff," said Thrall.

"You are still not my mother," said Neltharion, turning his huge head back at the orc.

"Would you two just give it a rest?" asked Aggra.

Neltharion spread his wings again and kicked off from the ground, taking his first downbeat. The gush of wind knocked back the Alliance soldiers as he quickly gained altitude. From here on out, they were heading for Theramore Isle. Traveling over the Dustwallow Marsh, Thrall soon spied the fortified island sitting quietly on the glassy sea. Waves crashed upon the rocks around the island a lighthouse was just off shore. Theramore was often disputed as the home of the Western Alliance, as it being the only large presence the Alliance had outside of the Eastern Kingdoms. However, many of the other citizens that lived in Kalimdor wished to dispute Theramore's claim here and to tell Lady Proudmoore to go back where she came from. So, Theramore kept up its hold, making sure it was safe from invaders who want to reclaim it for their own. The orcs of course were a large problem, but not when Thrall was Warchief. Though there were rough relationships here and there, Thrall and Jaina made the best of things and the beginnings of a truce between the Horde and the Alliance.

Theramore was a sparkling city much like Stormwind. Fortified and made of bristling white stone, it was a ray of light for many Alliance allies who crossed the dangerous marsh beyond. Its banners flew high and proud over the palisade walls. Thrall looked over Neltharion's shoulders to find a line of Alliance soldiers standing outside the walls, spears and swords ready. They were indeed waiting for them. Neltharion backwinged as he slowly began to land. Finally when he touched ground, he snapped his wings back and peered down upon the humans. He lowered himself to allow his passengers off. Out from between the line of soldiers came Lady Jaina Proudmoore. Her eyes fell to Thrall and a smile appeared on her face. He was a dear friend of hers and she always honored her friends. Then, she looked upon Aggra and nodded curtly. Here was the orc who stole away a love she held in her heart for a long time. However, she knew she would only hurt him more if she held a grudge against her. Then, Jaina finally lifted her head and came to the massive visage of Neltharion the Black. She peered deeply into his emerald eyes. They did not burn like they once did long ago. This was indeed not Deathwing at all. Thrall really did kill Deathwing, but left behind the creature he inhabited.

"Greetings, Thrall, Aggra," she began as she crossed the bridge half way. Thrall and Aggra came up from the other half. "Welcome back to Theramore." She came back to Neltharion. "And you, Neltharion...Aspect of Earth, one of the Guardians of Azeroth. You are welcomed here as well."

"Thank you..." Neltharion said to her greeting.

"My, Lord Prestor," began Jaina. "Don't you remember the proper way of greeting an ally the Alliance?"

Neltharion felt himself deflate just then when he heard his human alias being called out. They knew, they all knew who he disguised himself as once nearly 30 years ago. He straightened up, puffed out his chest and then gave a graceful bow to her. Jaina crossed her arms and just laughed.

"I must say, he is cute," she grinned. "Come on in. You too, dear Daval."

Neltharion followed, each step he took, he grew smaller. By the time they were through the gates, the Black Dragon was once more the size of a horse.

"I must say, when they called me up saying you've got Deathwing as your prisoner, I just laughed," said Jaina. "But then I remembered what you told me about your time in Dragonblight. So, we now have all five Aspects protecting Azeroth again."

"Yes," said Thrall. "Which is good for us. Everything that has happened to Azeroth, by one way or another was caused by the Old Gods. From what I have learned, we can't really kill all of them, but we can try to ward off their effects."

"Interesting," said Jaina. "All of this was done by them..."

"The Great Sundering is one of the things they caused through manipulation of people," said Aggra. "We at the Earthen Ring are only trying to do our best to repair any other damage they have caused...inadvertently through Deathwing's arrival."

Neltharion's head drooped.

"I've had questions about that," said Jaina. "In fact the Kirin Tor had questions about that. And now that I have the one who did it...I can get it from him. Neltharion, tell me, what exactly did you do to Azeroth when you exploded out of Deepholm?"

Neltharion took in a deep breath: "The reason why the Elementals are still running wildly even right now...it's because the safeguards the Titans put on Azeroth were destroyed when I escaped from Deepholm. My ties to the very planet of Azeroth allowed me to shatter those safeguards."

"So, you broke them out," said Jaina.

"Yes," he replied.

"Why?"

"The Hour of Twilight."

"I think you've told me that once," said Jaina, her eyes coming back to Thrall. "All but the Elementals and undead and such rule Azeroth while the rest of us are just rotting corpses."

"The threat of the Hour of Twilight still looms over us," said Thrall.

"Azeroth is very weak," said Neltharion. "And much of that is my fault. I made it weak. And its weakness is taking its toll on me. I am out here right now to find the strength I lost and maybe that will strengthen Azeroth."

"The duty to Azeroth itself," said Jaina. She walked around Neltharion and studied him. "You still have the plates on."

"Some," he said.

"I suppose some wounds cannot heal. Are you thirsty, Neltharion?"

"Yes," said Neltharion, turning to her.

"There's a tavern on my left," she began. "Tell the keeper that I will pay for your drinks. And you may drink and drink until the tavern runs dry."

"Uh, Neltharion," began Thrall. "That is not..."

Neltharion drew himself close to Thrall, pointing a talon at him: "You are not my mother!"

With that, the Black Dragon quickly scurried off towards the tavern, disappearing behind its swinging doors. Thrall sighed again, placing his head in his hands.

"Let him relax a bit, Thrall," said Jaina. "Come, you and Aggra are invited to my estate. We have much to catch up on."

Thrall turned back towards the tavern where Neltharion had disappeared in and then let loose another sigh of dismay. He then nodded in agreement, hoping that the Black Dragon will not get into any trouble. He followed Jaina and Aggra towards the estate at the center of the fortified city.

0

Inside the tavern, Neltharion was already getting his fill of fresh salt ale. Though it did not have the same kick as the brew he tried in the Overgrowth, it still hit the spot. He enjoyed the sounds of merriment coming from the tavern, clinking glasses from the dwarves, playful banter from the gnomes, and stories of high sea adventures from human sailors. Neltharion smiled, feeling right at home and warm inside. Already, he felt the familiar light-headedness as his world began to distort before his eyes. A single hiccup came from his mouth and the floors trembled below.

"What was that?" asked a half elf.

Neltharion held his snout with a claw. Still that did not prevent a hiccup from coming. He raised his mug up, demanding for another drink. The gnome behind the bar poured from the tap and then stood back as the Black Dragon gulped down the frothy brew. He hiccuped again and set the mug down for another round.

"Keep it coming," he said.

"Uh, I think you had enough, sir," said the gnome.

"I...I'll tell you...when I had enough," said Neltharion, his head beginning to droop, bobbing up and down. His eyes fluttered and his vision swirled. With a claw, he grabbed hold of one of his armored horns and attempted to keep his head up. "Now...pour me another...another...ano...ano...ther one..."

The gnome slowly shook his head, but Neltharion slapped the bar.

"Come on!" he bellowed. "Jaina said I can...can...has booze lots...gimme! I'm...trying to keep the...the tentacle...monsters...from talking...to me."

He thought he heard someone laughing in the back.

"Sh..shut up...they're...they're ugly tentacle monsters!" he said. "Now pour."

"Very well," said the bartender.

Another round of ale and Neltharion slammed his head against the bar, his eyes drooping close. The world spun around him and he felt himself slowly slide off of the bar table. It was then someone took hold of one of his wings and spun him around. There, before his bobbing head was a woman with brunette hair and cold blue green eyes. She was dressed in a garb that a rogue would normally wear and in her hand was a flintlock pistol. She pulled upon Neltharion's throat fill and brought him close to her, pointing the pistol up under his chin. That was when she locked her lips with his. In his drunken stupor, he found it oddly satisfying and pleasurable that a human decided to kiss him at gun point. He had not a care in the world. Neltharion found himself getting lost in the simple kiss and his eyes slowly closed. The rest of the tenants at the tavern cat called and whistled as the two embraced each other. Then, the woman broke from the kiss, dropping the gun. She raised her hand and slapped it across the Black Dragon's face. Once more, she put the gun under his chin again.

"Hello there, Daval," she said. "Did you miss me?"

Neltharion smiled back at her, still in his stupor.

"A pitcher of water," began the woman.

"Excuse me?" asked the bartender.

"You heard me!" she said. "Water, now!"

He handed her a pitcher of water and she slung it right into Neltharion's face. The Black Dragon gasped in shock of the cold water being splashed upon him, jerking him awake from his drunken stupor. He was still a little wobbly from the alcohol, but he was more alert now than he was before.

"What in the world..." he began. "What is wrong with you, lady?"

The woman then swung around only to roundhouse kick him in the jaw, sending the Earth-Warder toppling onto a table, breaking it in half.

"Excuse me!" called the gnome. "I hope you plan on paying for that, miss!"

"Send me the bill later, I have a criminal to apprehend," she replied.

Neltharion rose up off the floor, picking up a fork in his hand. He thrust it out at her, ready to defend himself.

"Ah-hah!" he called in triumph. The woman pointed her gun at his claw and shot the fork out of it. Neltharion looked at his now empty claw, his eyes wide. "Um...nice shot!"

The woman fired again, causing him to duck.

"Human!" the Black Aspect bellowed. "Do you have any idea who you're firing that thing at?"

"Yes!" she replied. "The bastard that broke my heart."

"Okay, then!" said Neltharion as he pushed his way out the door. The woman followed him outside, raising her gun again. She found him outside in his true size. Neltharion slammed a fist into the ground and a wall of Theramore's stone rose up between the two. The woman rolled her eyes and walked around the wall to find the massive Black Dragon on the other side, pressing up against it.

"A wall only works when it has four sides," she said.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" He leaned down towards her. "Now listen, mortal, I am through playing games..."

"So am I," she said, raising her gun again. With a shot from her pistol, the Black Dragon bellowed out in pain, covering his right eye.

"My eye!" he called. "You shot my eye! What...what in inferno did I ever do to you to make you shoot my eye out?"

All the noise, Jaina, Thrall, and Aggra came rushing out of the estate. Jaina gasped when she saw the Earth Aspect leaning over, a couple of droplets of his own fiery blood dripping out of his right eye and bellowing in agony. She turned towards the woman who caused it.

"Hastings!" she said. "What did I tell you! Don't hurt him!"

"You said don't kill him," said Hastings. "I made no promises about hurting him. Besides, the bastard hurt me first! One little eye isn't going to make up for all the pain he caused me over the years."

Neltharion opened his right eye up, blinking the blood away. It was swollen a bit, but he could see somewhat out of it. Most importantly, it glowed fiery red like it once did when he was maddened by the Old Gods. Now, the red color only meant it was bloodshot. His swift healing would eventually kick in though and his eye would go back to normal.

"What...what did I ever do to you?" he asked. "First, you kiss me, then you kick me in the head, now you shoot my eye out! What did I do to deserve this?"

"You don't recognize me?" she asked. "Huh? Daval? Or should I just call you Deathwing instead? Come on, tell me you don't recognize the beautiful woman who you married those years ago?"

She lifted a hand up which held a golden band that was encrusted with fine diamonds. Neltharion leaned down to her and inspected the ring. His eyes widened and his mouth dropped. He did know her. She was much older now, and rougher around the edge, but it was still her.

"Calia...Menethil?" he asked.

"It should be Calia Prestor," she said. "But now it's Calia Hastings. Yes, Deathwing, I'm your wife!"


	6. VI

**VI**

His heart sank when he realized just who he was kneeling before. He knew her very well, those blue-green eyes, the lovely brunette hair, the soft skin. He knew her. Then, he remembered what happened those years ago. Deathwing. Deathwing hurt her like he hurt everyone else. Neltharion had to sit back and watch as the monster took an innocent girl's innocence for his consultation prize for gaining a political marriage with her. With her marriage he would be crowned king of Alterac and he would hold a powerful grip upon the Alliance with that. However, that did not mean he could not have a little fun with his new young wife. Neltharion eyes closed tightly when he thought of what all Deathwing did to that young girl, to Princess Calia Menethil. Now, here standing before him was a young woman, weathered by time, a harsh life, and a driving vengeance for what Deathwing did to her and her family. Her brother was Arthas Menethil, who later became a lich and then the Lich King. Neltharion almost chuckled at that thought, his brother-in-law was the Lich King who commanded the horrible Scourge Army to take down Lordaeron, crushing it to now nothing more than a land where death lived. Arthas never knew who his brother by marriage really was. But Calia knew. Of course Calia knew. In that one night they shared, she knew who she married.

She married a monster.

Neltharion set his jaw and focused upon the woman before him, pointing her gun up at him. His swollen eye continued to droop slightly while droplets of his hot, glowing blood trickled down like tears at the corners of his lid.

He did not love her, but he did care deeply for her. Neltharion remembered Calia was the only thing that he saw through his distorted vision caused by Deathwing that came in clearly. Even her kindly voice was clear and it gave him hope. Of course he would care for someone who brought him hope. And those feelings he had for her ran deep. Perhaps it was a form of love after all, he corrected in his mind.

Now, she stood before him, gun ready to fire again. He wanted to reach out and touch her, to feel her because he never got that chance before. He wanted to touch her then to know that this clear vision was not some trick of Deathwing's.

"Calia..." he said, saying her name as if it was a joy itself. He could speak her name loudly. "Calia..."

"Shut up!" Calia shouted. "Just shut up! You and your damned kids ruined my life, my kingdom, you are everything that is wrong with the Alliance, and you wanted to make it worse. I know what Lady Katrina Prestor did later, who was she, your former wife?"

"Daughter Onyxia," said Neltharion.

"So, my stepdaughter, right?" asked Calia. "The only family I have left...is you...and your demon spawn! Dragons, that's the family I have left, dragons. Dragons I've never even met, dragons who probably would just eat me rather than embrace me as a member of their family. I have no one!"

Neltharion lowered his belly down, his head between his paws. His eyes gazed upon Calia, sensing her hatred for him. The Black Dragon let loose a curious, but pitiful whimper at her. Calia sighed and turned away from him. She could not stare into those eyes of his, she could not even look at him. She lowered her gun and closed her own eyes.

They never called it off, they never got a divorce. They were married one day, and then the next, he disappeared never to return. He was going to be the king of Alterac, set right the raging squabble that went on within the Alliance, not tear it down. Lord Daval Prestor, a stately, elegant, handsome man who she hoped in all her teenage fancy that he would take notice of her. She crushed upon him, giggling silently to herself the idea of being his wife. From the moment she saw him, for some strange reason, that was all she could think about. She wanted him. She wanted him to notice her, to take her out on walks, to dance with her in lavish balls. Her mind went back to those flighty thoughts. There he was, standing before her, in the most luxurious of robes made from the finest of silk, black of hair, hawking features. He turned to her, offered his hand to her and Calia took it, allowing herself to be whisked away by him. Prestor took her into his arms and they danced, spinning madly around on the white stone floor, the music playing a lovely ballad. They talked of nothing at all, just the weather, how nice the air was, perhaps going on a story of Prestor's voyages. And then, when the music stopped, they did. He brought her close and they kissed. It was a long, passionate kiss, but a kiss she melted into.

Then, it turned foul.

Prestor's face twisted and blackened. His face expanded into a dragon's head, growing long, multiple, thick horns around his temples. Fiery eyes glowed in his eye sockets. On his lower jaw was a metallic brace that accented his most prominent feature. His horns were lined with metallic plates, and plates dotted about his body. His body swelled up, growing thick, fuming, fiery cracks split his black scales. Calia stood back in horror as her handsome, kindly husband turned into a monster of children's nightmares. Black wings spread wide and the dragon laughed loudly.

Deathwing. He was Deathwing!

Calia Hastings let loose a wail of horror, falling to her knees. She leaned over, covering her face with her hands and wept. The pistol fell from her hands and dropped to the ground.

"Forgive me..." she heard a sorrowful whisper from behind her and felt the heat of the Black Dragon's breath on her back.

She turned around and stared at the immense Black Dragon behind her. He was not quite the nightmare she remembered having many times through the years. What spell he had on her had mentally damaged her. Before her, though still an imposing, hulking figure, was not a creature of horror, but a creature of sorrow. He did not have as many plates as he once did, the cracks that lined his black scales were barely even noticeable if at all there. Green eyes sparkled with kindness and compassion as they looked upon her, rather than fiery orange, burning eyes of hatred. She recalled stories that anyone who even dared touch Deathwing would burn for it, literally. She touched her side, recalling that night of their marriage, consummating it. He burned her while he ravaged her. It left horrible scars on her side that she kept hidden under her tunic. Sometimes it would still hurt. And then he left her, never to be seen by Calia Menethil again. She had to have skin grafted just to help in the healing process. But in the bar, she could touch him, she could pull him close and she did not burn.

Calia dared herself to come near him. Of course she dared. She shot him, she kicked him she slapped him Only aberrations came of that from her hand going across his hard scales. She place a hand upon his metallic chin, finding it only warm to the touch. The sun made it warm. The Black Dragon tilted his head slightly to push his snout against her hand. He did not burn her.

Then, Neltharion pulled back and waited for the human to act.

"This doesn't change anything," Calia said. "I...I still hate you."

Her words were like an icy dagger jammed into his heart. He wondered what would have hurt more, his impalement on Wyrmrest, or Calia's cold shoulder. With that, she walked away towards Thrall, Jaina, and Aggra. Neltharion's head lowered, his eyes looked the other way in shame. As she passed Jaina, she turned to the mage and took in a deep breath.

"You are wrong," Calia began. "He does remember me. He remembers what happened those years ago."

Jaina looked up at Neltharion.

"I need you to come with me," she said. With that, Neltharion made himself into a more suitable size. She lead them all into her estate and into the main chamber, taking a seat upon her fancy chair. "Neltharion, Thrall told me something interesting while you were in the tavern getting reacquainted with your lovely wife."

Neltharion looked over at Calia and attempted to smile at her, only to have it melt away by her scowl. His shoulders slumped.

"I realize it's been a while since you two have seen each other," said Jaina.

"I had no idea he was married," said Thrall.

"Neither did I," said Aggra. "How did you manage to get married to a human?"

"It was Deathwing's plan of seating himself upon the council of Kings within the Alliance," began Neltharion. "By becoming King of Alterac, Deathwing could then bring down the Alliance from within."

"A failed plan," said Calia. "Thank goodness. Much of me was glad that you left that night after what happened and when we realized what you were actually planning on using me fore, I could not help but to dance in joy knowing the other Aspects gave you the boot!"

"Calia," began Jaina. "It was Deathwing, not Neltharion, who did all those things..."

"It's the same face!" said Calia. "Regardless to who it was in control. You got what you deserved!"

Neltharion slumped even further down.

"Alright," began Jaina. "Let's just put that part behind us. You two can tear each other apart on the way. However, we need to get things going here. Thrall has told me of something important. Apparently Ysera contacted you telling you that you were supposed to come here and meet Calia in the first place. How else would you have known she was stationed here. And of course you two are supposed to go on a mission of importance. I would have dismissed it as just nothing more than the mushrooms talking, but apparently, SI:7 called and confirmed it. Something has happened, something related to you, Earth-Warder, or rather related to the minions who served you." She paced in front of them, placing her hands behind her back. "I would have chalked it up to coincidence that these two are related in some ways, but from understanding how Ysera works, that is not the case. Don't you Aspects send us on missions of great importance and not the other way around? An Aspect sending another Aspect on an errand like a gopher boy. The mighty have fallen." She passed her eyes between Calia and Neltharion. "This is something of the utmost importance that even King Varian Wynn is concerned. When I get the call, I will bring the king himself here and he can tell you himself what he needs you to do."

"Varian Wynn?" asked Neltharion. "He is sending me on this mission?"

"Basically," said Jaina.

"Oh, good, then afterwards, he can chop your head off like he did your daughter," said Calia. "And then mount it on the gates of Stormwind City after we're done. I'll be sure to help."

"Is that all you want to do is inflict bodily harm to me?" Neltharion asked, looking over at the woman who called herself his wife. "That doesn't seem rather...lovingly to your husband."

Calia took in a deep breath and then moved closer to him, her fist curling up tightly. She slowly took hold of his snout horn and pulled it closer to her, softly whispering to him.

"I'll show you lovingly!"

"Calia!" Jaina shouted. "Now is not the time!"

Calia pushed Neltharion's head away and gave him a sinister smile of satisfaction. That smile...he knew that smile very well...a smile no doubt Deathwing gave her when he knew he was about to use her for his nefarious plans. Neltharion took in a deep breath and huffed out a wisp of black smoke from his nostrils in a snort.

"As for you, Thrall, and Aggra. I appreciate you delivering the Earth-Warder to us."

"I was hoping that he would just go back to Dragonblight," said Thrall. "I'm sure Alexstrasza wants him back."

"No doubt about it," said Jaina. "From what I understand, she and the other Aspects are at your service almost considering what all you've done for them. You and I can be the ones to tell her what we need Neltharion for. Of course, if it is possible, we may need Ysera's help."

Thrall turned to the Black Dragon.

"From what I understand, all five Aspects can communicate with each other through their very minds," said Thrall. "Because they are all made from the same...stuff. They're all connected with each other. If anyone can contact Ysera for us...let Neltharion do it."

Neltharion lowered his head.

"So far, she has only appeared in dreams," he said. "The most vivid one was when I was completely intoxicated. She showed me my future then, or rather the outcome itself. I can try to call my sisters, but I know I will be getting the same message over and over from Alex. 'Come home, Neltharion.'" He snorted. "I'm her older brother, not her damned child! She wishes to treat me like an invalid all because I'm still not right in the head as she hints on. You all see it! Not right in the head, still a little crazy. Crazy old Neltharion! Handle me with care, that sort of thing. Why not just put the straight jacket on me right now and toss me in some asylum to live out my days until the Embrace finally occurs? I'm sure a candidate has been chosen, we're just waiting for the moons to come into alignment. That's why I'm still here."

He slumped over, still feeling a little woozy over the alcohol.

Calia took a moment to compose herself and then stepped forward.

"Lady Proudmoore, I will do anything to help the Alliance," she began. "Even if that means making certain sacrifices...including allying myself with a being who stole away my innocence."

"And I will answer the call Azeroth has made," said Neltharion. "It is the least I can do."

"Yes, the least," said Calia.

Neltharion slumped, feeling Calia's cold eyes on him.

"I would like for you to attempt to at least contact Ysera," said Jaina. "Without the booze, if you don't mind."

"I...I can do that," he began. "Though, sometimes, when I close my eyes, I can still see the tentacles of those damned Old Gods."

"If they try to take you over..." said Jaina.

"If they try to take you over, I'll be happy to end you right here, dear husband!" Calia said in a sneer.

"I can contact both," said Neltharion. "Have Ysera convince Alexstrasza to let me go."

"Very well," said Jaina.

Neltharion lowered his head and closed his eyes. He let loose a low growl as he allowed his body to relax. The dragon breathed slowly. He had not done this in centuries. He wondered if he even remembered how. Somewhere in the back of his mind, there was the information, tucked away in a storage slot. A claw scraped the long carpet he stood upon and revealed the stone work below. Neltharion continued to scrape at the stone, turning it into fine powder at his paw. Then, the powder rose up from the stone floor and began to swirl around him. Jaina and Calia looked over at a wooden table with a glass vase on top. The table wobbled back and forth as the floor itself began to tremble beneath their feet. The vase toppled over and smashed upon the floor, releasing the water. Just then, the water swirled over towards Neltharion, joining the dust, spinning around him. Water, wind, and stone...

Thrall and Aggra turned to a line of torches, their fire being stolen away by the wind that blew around the Black Dragon. The flames joined the rest. Solid, liquid, gas, and heat, the things that made Azeroth what it was continued to spin around Neltharion. They ignited into a bluish-purple, glowing mist, and then spinning around to form four glowing, purple crystals. Thrall began to realize this was the power of the Earth-Warder in visual form. Neltharion opened his eyes only to turn to his left. Emerging from his left side was a rather tall Blood Elf dressed in red armor and flame colored hair. She had horns on her head, which were adorned in golden rings. Neltharion turned to his right just as a rather tall Night Elf emerged. She was wearing green armor similar to that of the Blood Elf, with green hair and colorful, glowing eyes. Like the Blood Elf, she even had horns. Two other shadowy forms appeared behind them, only being only witnesses. Thrall began to realize what he was seeing, as he watched the elven forms of Alexstrasza and Ysera stepping towards their older brother, holding out their hands to him. Neltharion held out his black claw to them, and their fingers touched. A silent message passed between the three for a brief moment. Alexstrasza hesitantly nodded and then faded from the chambers. However, Ysera was more than ecstatic, even giving her brother a hug around his neck. She then turned to Calia and her colorful eyes widened with happiness even more. The Awakened Dreamer waved at Calia and then mouthed something...

_We will talk later, sister!_

Calia held her breath, realizing just who that was that called her "sister". Then, she disappeared as well. The crystals released their power. The fire fizzled away, the dust fell back onto the floor, and the water splashed upon the cold stone. Thrall could no longer feel the wind around him.

"Alex does not like the idea of me going on this journey," said Neltharion. "But Ysera said she will watch me from the Dream. That at least made her more...at ease."

"At least," said Jaina. She walked away from the group, looking out one of the enormous windows in the chamber. The sun was starting to set. "We should all turn in for the night."

Neltharion got up, heading for the door: "Very well, I'll be at the tavern if anyone needs me."

"Hold it!" Calia shouted. "Not so fast. I don't want you even thinking about escaping from me, understand?"

"I have no plans on escaping," he began. "But I do plan on getting in a few barrels of Theramor's salty ale before I go to bed."

"You won't be doing that either," said Jaina. "I want you to be sober and alert tomorrow when Varian shows up. Meaning, I want to make sure you won't sneak off to the cellar or the kitchen for a night cap. Calia, perhaps you should keep an eye on him."

"Me?" she asked.

"You insist that he shouldn't escape, who better than you to keep an eye on him?" asked Jaina. "After all, you two are married. It's only proper for the couple to be sleeping in the same bedchambers."

"I am not sharing the same bed with him let alone the same bedchamber! I've already shared the same bed with him once..."

"Then, I will make sure the two of you have two separate beds," said Jaina. "Since you two will be sharing this trip together, it's only natural that you two get a little more acquainted."

Neltharion looked back at Thrall who only gave a low chuckle.

"Welcome the ball and chain club, my friend," said Thrall. "The married life isn't as bad as you think."

The Black Dragon sighed, walking over to him: "Easy for you to say, at least your wife isn't trying to skewer you with a sword, or fill you full of lead from her pistol."

Thrall again chuckled and gave a slight pat to Neltharion's neck. Calia looked back behind her, snapping her fingers to call the Earth-Warder to her side. Neltharion let loose a disdainful growl and with a head hung low, followed her up a flight of stairs towards the guest chambers. He attempted to push himself up the hallway, his wings barely squeezing through. As Neltharion shoved his way, he managed to knock off a piece of the walls with his rough scales, his wagging tail causing some gashes in the stone. Following behind him was Jaina, who then snapped her fingers in order to teleport herself to the front. There was no getting around the huge dragon in the hallway without some form of magic. Calia sighed.

"My god, what did you do?" she asked. "Did you put on weight or something?"

"A...little," he replied.

"Married a fat guy," Calia sighed. "Wonderful."

Neltharion snorted a cloud of smoke from his nostrils.

Jaina opened the door for the two of them, leading them inside. The bedchamber itself was rather luxurious with paintings and tapestries hanging from the walls. There was a very spacious bed at the center of the room. Calia once more crossed her arms.

"You know what?" she began. "He can sleep in the floor for all I care."

Neltharion settled himself down on the floor next to the bed.

"He's not sleeping on the floor," said Jaina. One of her servants came in, pulling out a low cot stuffed with down bedding sealed in soft cotton sheets. The cot itself was supported by a sturdy metal frame of gnomish design and could be wheeled out for use. The cot itself did not look large enough to even hold Neltharion's body. Jaina merely touched it with her staff and the cot doubled in size. "There, two beds. You can keep an eye on him from here."

"I'll have my gun armed and ready just in case he decides to move," said Calia.

The Black Dragon threw back the covers and slowly laid upon the cot, hearing it squeak under his weight. It only added insult to injury when he heard Calia chuckle at the sound..

"Get some good night's rest," said Jaina. "Both of you."

"We will," said Calia. She gave Neltharion a suspicious and heated eyeing. The dragon only shrank from her gaze.

"And Calia, remember what I said," said Jaina. "He's not exactly the 'man' you knew. Actually, he's better than that 'man' from what I've been told."

"It doesn't change anything," said Calia. "Good night, Lady Proudmoore."

Jaina backed away and closed the door. Neltharion lifted his head up to smile sweetly upon the human.

"Don't even start," said Calia. "And I'm going to change, so no peeking."

"I've seen you...naked before," said Neltharion.

Calia gave him a good swat on his cheek. He held his cheek and watched her slide off the bed.

"I was sixteen years old, you pervert!" she shouted. "When my father decided to marry me to you. He didn't know it then, but he knew it after you disappeared. We all knew who you were after you disappeared. Arthas even swore he'd hunt you down himself and deliver your head back to my father."

Neltharion turned away from her and Calia pulled off her tunic.

"You used us," said Calia. "Used me. Used my feelings I had for you against me! And for what? Alterac? To take down the Alliance? I...I...actually liked you! No...I...was so foolish...I had a crush upon you. I wanted you to notice me, to talk with me...to just be with me...why? Why did I have those feelings? You put them in me...or was it real?"

Neltharion turned around to her, only to find her without clothes, but still wearing her leather undergarments. It was not her breasts that caught his attention, no matter how lovely they were, there was something else that took precedence. The brown, burnt scars, the look of mangled skin on her hips and sides and the odd blotches. Between her thighs, there were burn scars and Neltharion knew exactly how she got those. He stared at the scars for a long time, thinking back to that night. There he was, bound to the darkness of his mind while Deathwing placed the wedding ring upon the young woman before him. Like before, Neltharion could see her face clearer than he could see anyone else. He could hear her voice. She had a look of fear upon her, fear of attaching herself to someone at such a young age, fear of what exactly would their first night together be like. Though she did crush upon him, she never really gotten to know him. It was just so sudden. Even Neltharion agreed this was not right and hated for such a lovely young lady be taken away by a monster like Deathwing before she was ready to be locked to someone for the rest of her life. Neltharion wanted this beautiful girl to have a chance to make her own way, but that was not Deathwing's plan. Deathwing need her to become king of Alterac. The following morning, after the wedding, he would be crowned.

However, Neltharion knew what Deathwing planned to do to the girl that night and he squirmed in disgust at it. Deathwing was going to have a little fun with his new toy and he did exactly that. The scars on Calia's sides were a mark of that. Much like Sintharia, Neltharion's prime consort, Calia survived her own sexual experience with the Aspect of Death, only to be left badly burned from it. It was hard to believe that such a frail human could survive an ordeal that killed many female black dragons.

"Like what you see?" she asked. "The following day, you were gone and I was crying in pain. The servants sent for my brother who was just horrified to find these burns on my body. And I told him everything. I told him this handsome man I married raped me! Then, this man I married turned into this monster with black scales, bat wings, and burning, glowing lava leaking from metal plates hammered upon his body! And that's when he burned me, inside and outside. They wondered if I would ever live, let alone walk again. You did this to me. No man would ever touch such a damaged body ever again!" She slid back onto the bed, leaning down to take hold of his snout horn. "Damaged goods. That's what I am. My father then realized who you were. He made all of us swear not to speak of the incident again and if anyone asked, I was scalded by water. But still, even with that lie, no man would ever have me once they saw the scars. Just as well, because much later, my brother assassinated my father and then rose an undead army that destroyed my country. Let's just say you didn't help the situation either."

"I want to say how much I am sorry for what he did to you..." Neltharion began. "Using my body to cause so much harm to you..."

"He," she scoffed. "Yes, that's right. Not you, but he. He...Deathwing...not Neltharion. It's hard to believe that you had two different personalities. I can't buy that. I can't. You may have fooled them, but you won't fool me. When this trip is over, I'm going to kill you. I will use you like you used me, and when it is all said and done, I will throw you away like you did me."

She laid her head down and pulled her covers over her shoulders, turning towards him. Then, Calia slowly began to close her eyes.

"Don't expect me to give you a good night kiss, _my beloved,_" she said.

Neltharion watched as she finally closed her eyes and then laid his own head down on the pillow provided to him. He curled up slightly and blinked slowly, rolling off to slumber himself.

_Was it real?_ He asked himself in his own slumber. _Did she truly care for Deathwing? Or me? Or was it Deathwing's manipulation?_

_How can she love such a hideous, pathetic, little whelp like you?_

_The only way such a beautiful sight like the princess could ever love a monster like you is to cast a spell on her._

_Deathwing knew that._

_You are so foolish, Neltharion._

_I should have drank myself unconscious, _Neltharion thought, hearing the mocking sounds of the Old Gods in his head.

_Drink yourself to insanity and then drop upon the temple!_

_Let your blood burn it!_

_Just let yourself die, Neltharion!_

_Useless whelp Neltharion!_

Neltharion tossed around in his cot, causing it to squeak a bit louder. The voices in his head echoed louder as well, laughing at him, mocking him, prodding him on to throw himself upon Wyrmrest. If he could sweat he would be doing so.

"No..." he moaned. "No..."

_Would you like to see the rest?_

_Ysera didn't show you everything!_

_Let us show you the Hour of Twilight in its entirety!_

Neltharion found himself standing upon blackened, shattered ground. Everything was burned. In the sky, thunderous, sulfurous clouds churned and rumbled. There was no sound of any creature moving. However, there were tall bones lying in the ground, dragon bones. Neltharion turned to the sounds of a fight going on over the next hill and he trotted off towards it. There, amidst the bleak landscape were the familiar forms of the other four Aspects. Three out of the four were already gone, locked away in a death of irony. Alexstrasza fought the Elementals alone. All around her were the Old Gods and their tentacles, whipping about through the ground. Neltharion spread his wings, and leapt off, making his way towards the Elementals that attacked his sister. Claws out, jaws open, he dove for them. He knocked one of the Elementals off balance and placed himself between Alexstrasza and them, extending his wings protectively.

"No one touches my sister!" he bellowed at them, snapping his jaws.

_Look who finally showed up?_

_Better late than never._

_It does not matter._

"Neltharion!" Alexstrasza shouted.

"Together, Alex," said Neltharion. "For our brothers and sisters."

"Together," she nodded.

The two massive dragons one by one attacked the Elementals, spewing forth their fiery breaths. However, it was to no avail. The thorny tentacles of the Old Gods finally took hold of Neltharion in mid flight and slung him to the ground, binding him tightly. Meanwhile, Ragnaros, the Elemental Lord of Fire, took hold of Alexstrasza's tail and slung her to the ground as well.

"Neltharion!" Alexstrasza shouted.

"Alex!" Neltharion called back, struggling against his bonds.

With one mighty swing of his hammer, Ragnaros smacked Alexstrasza in her head. As the hammer slammed into her jaw, her body began to blacken, becoming charred and burned. She crashed onto the ground, her body now solidified solid piece of black cinders. Neltharion's eyes welled up in tears when he looked upon her dead body.

"No!" he shouted. "Alex! Alex!"

_She can't hear you._

_The Life-Binder is too busy being dead!_

_Now, it is your turn, Earth-Warder._

_We have no use for you._

_All Aspects must die._

_All representation of the Titan's power and technology must be cleansed of this world._

_This world belongs to us, always have, always will._

_You invaders will meet your end._

With that, the spiny tentacles slowly rose Neltharion's body up. While he was raised, other tentacles came around and began to tear the remaining plates off of his body, letting his lava blood drip from the wounds. The tentacles brought Neltharion up to Wyrmrest Temple.

"No, no!" he shouted. "Not the spire. Please! Not the spire! Don't do it! Don't!"

_Yes, dear Neltharion, yes!_

With one heave, the Old Gods thrusted his body upon the twin spires of Wyrmrest Temple. The spires ran through his chest and stomach, piercing his backside. Neltharion's wings flailed painfully and his head lifted up, jerking. He coughed, sputtered, and gagged for a brief moment. Then, finally, his body fell limp. His blood bled from the wounds, trickling down the sides of the temple and setting fire to it. From his mouth, lava spewed forth, coalescing into a river running away from the temple itself.

His final thought as his mind finally went black was simply: _Please...don't hurt me..._

_Don't hurt me..._

_Don't hurt me..._

"Don't hurt me," Neltharion said, rolling his head around on the cot. "Please, don't. No..."

Calia awoke from the sounds he was making and looked over. She saw the Black Dragon flail about, clawing at the air as if he was trying to fight an invisible enemy. Tears streamed from his eyes. Then, she sighed and got up, getting dressed in a robe. She rang the servant bell and moments later, a servant appeared.

"Get me a barrel of ale," she said.

When the servant came back, she poured a mug of ale and lowered herself down to the Black Dragon before her.

"Daval," she whispered. "Daval. Nel...Neltharion. Wake up."

Neltharion gasped as his dreams became interrupted. However, he was more than grateful to be free of them. He turned towards Calia, surprised to see her sitting beside him. Tears continued to stream from his eyes and down his cheeks. When he saw her face, he wanted to hug her, for her to comfort him. He did not know why he wanted her to do that, but he knew if she did, everything would be alright again. Calia lifted the mug up to him.

"Here," she said. "It'll help the nightmares."

"Ale?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied.

Neltharion took it and sipped at it. Then, he gulped it down. Calia poured another. After several glasses and the barrel itself half way empty, Neltharion was starting to feel tipsy. Calia took the mug away from him and slowly laid him back onto the cot.

"That's enough," she said.

"Thank you," he said sweetly to her.

"Don't," said Calia. "I didn't do it for you. I did it to shut you up so I can get some sleep."

She got back into bed and pulled the covers over again. Neltharion lifted his head up and laid it upon the edge of her bed, his green eyes fluttering at her, heavy with intoxication. A small smile appeared upon his face. He could not help but to smile at her. He still did not know why. His mind turned back to those days when he first saw her through his eyes while Deathwing commanded his body as Lord Prestor. She was lovely, her voice like a song to him. Neltharion did not know why, but every time she came to visit, his thoughts were only on her. Perhaps it was just because for that moment, her presence filled him with hope. Though, he wondered if it was something else. Though, he knew Deathwing was sensing what was going on. These emotions Neltharion was having, Deathwing stole them and then used them on her. The crush she spoke about, that was the crush Neltharion strangely had for her. Now, Calia could not think of anything but wanting to be with Prestor.

For Neltharion it was something different. He wanted to hold onto her, never let her go, not because of love, but because he felt he would loose himself again if he did not hold her. Her presence allowed him to find himself again after 10 thousand years and he did not want to let that go. Even if it meant having her as just a friend, at least he would be with her so he could have himself. He had an identity again and he thanked her for it. How could Deathwing turn such a lovely emotion Neltharion felt for this mortal human into something so horrible? Those scars were the byproduct of it. Neltharion began to wonder what else was the product. There must have been a child of some sort, which is why she held a grudge for him for so long. They mated together, there must have been a child.

Neltharion lifted his head off the bed and continued to stare down at his wife. His wife. That lovely girl who gave him back is identity for that one brief moment became his wife. He reached out with a black claw, wanting to touch her like he desperately did those years ago. He wanted to feel her face, her skin, to know she was tangible and not is imagination. But then, he withdrew his claw. She would not want him to touch her. Neltharion slumped back and laid his head down back on the cot again, tears streaming from his eyes. How could he touch something that helped him regain a piece of himself? He knew when he did, he hurt her. He did not want to touch her, feeling unworthy of the sensation.

He began to succumb to his intoxication, feeling his body become heavy. He purred a bit, rubbing his head against the pillow. He could not hate her.

"I love her..." he whispered as he drifted off to sleep, letting the alcohol bring out a deep subconscious thought he would not even admit to himself. "I love you..."

Calia awoke again, hearing him repeat himself. He loved her?

_Just the alcohol talking, _she thought. _Stupid dragon._

0

The next day, both Calia and Neltharion emerged from the bedchamber, yawning and stretching. Neltharion gave both wings a stretch and shook his throat frill, snapping his jaws. Calia took hold of one of his horns and dragged him down the stairs.

"Do you have to pull so hard?" he asked.

"You're taking too damned long!" Calia said as she drug him down to the main level.

Neltharion stumbled over his feet as he came to the main level. He gave his scales a shake and lifted his paws.

"So good of you to join us, Lord Prestor," began a powerful voice. "And you, Agent Hastings."

Standing beside Thrall and Jaina was a tall, powerful man with long brown hair tied in a topknot at the back and wearing gleaming armor. Upon his armor were designs of lions and eagles, powerful animals and symbols of the strength of the Alliance. Calia swiftly fell to her knees. Neltharion just stood still as a statue, daring not to move. She reached up and took hold of the dragon's red throat frill, pulling him down as well. She reached up and took hold of one of the smaller horns and held him down. Before them was the king of Stormwind, Varian Wynn.

"Your Highness," said Calia.

"To see both of you together," Varian began. "It's like going back in time, practically."

Calia lifted up off the floor and pulled Neltharion up with her. She pulled him towards her as she walked over to the king. Neltharion settled back on his haunches and took in a deep breath.

"I know what you are expecting me to do, Prestor," began Varian. "But it won't happen. I'm not going to kill you. You're too valuable. I've heard from Jaina and Thrall the importance of having all four Dragon Aspects alive. Now that you are on our side, perhaps all of this can end."

"My redemption can't stop the Hour of Twilight from coming," said Neltharion. "Ysera still sees her vision and I am certain that Nozdormu can concur it."

"I see," said Varian. "But I believe that the future has not be written. We make our own future. Perhaps just doing nothing about it will make sure the future holds true. But I intend to do something about it. I was going to send you alone on this mission, Calia, but when Jaina informed me that Thrall was heading to Theramore with the Earth-Warder, I began to rethink about who I want to send there."

"I understand that you want us both to go there," said Calia.

"Yes," said Varian.

"Go where?" asked Neltharion.

"I'm sorry, you were not informed?" Varian asked.

"I was busy being having domestic violence assaulted upon me by my...loving wife," said Neltharion.

"Don't be cocky!" Calia shouted.

"That's enough out of both of you," said Varian. "Calia, seriously. Don't beat your husband. There's a law against spousal abuse."

"Make him pay for it first, then I'll pay mine," said Calia.

"I am making Prestor pay for it," said Varian. "Not only for what he did to you, but also what he has done to all of the Alliance, including what his children did to me personally. I cannot forget Onyxia and Nefarian, Neltharion. I chopped their heads off myself."

Neltharion lowered his head.

"Well, are you going to say they deserved their punishment or not?" asked Varian. "Fight me for killing your children? I seem to remember that was one of the reasons why Deathwing made a personal appearance to Stormwind City that particular night during the Shattering."

"You executed them in accordance to your laws that stated they have wronged you," said Neltharion. "They caused much turmoil to your country, and were responsible for much that is wrong with the Alliance. You only tried to repair the damage they had done. I...I am sad my children are dead. I...I said good bye to them at last in Dragonblight...held them one last time." He shut his eyes, allowing a tear to drop. "I said good bye to my mate, begging her for forgiveness for hurting her. I've done a lot worse things to my children than what you did, King Varian. I turned them into monsters...used them as nothing more than tools rather than love them as family...all because of Deathwing. Executing them for their crimes only released them from the torment that was inflicted upon them to make them what they are." He lowered his head. "If only you knew them before the madness. They would have made great additions to your country."

"I'm sure they would have," said Varian.

Neltharion took in a deep breath and let out a rumble.

"What punishment do you have for me?" he asked. "I will accept your verdict."

"Community service," said Varian. "In the form of going to a place called Uldum. Since the Shattering you caused, many ancient sites we believe originally belonging to the beings known as the Titans were unearthed. Lady Jaina has sent an expedition to Uldum to discover any artifacts of archeological significance. However, the surveyors were ambushed before they could start explosion. There were reports of both dragons from the Twilight Dragonflight and the Black Dragonflight in the area. Both flights belong to you. So, tell me, Earth-Warder, what's in Uldum that is so important to you?"

Neltharion closed his eyes and thought back to what it was in Uldum that Deathwing found so important. He knew about Uldum, something about a facility there.

"You said you discovered a Titan ruin there?" he asked.

"An intact facility," said Varian. "You don't remember why you sent those dragons?"

"Deathwing...when he...left me..." Neltharion began, feeling a headache begin to pound against his cranium. "Took some memories with him. He wants to prevent me from stopping whatever plan he set in motion prior to my redemption."

"I don't believe one bit of that!" said Calia, taking hold of his horn. "You better tell us what you were after, Deathwing!"

Neltharion pushed himself away from her, knocking her back. He caught himself, noticing Calia falling and hitting the floor. The Black Dragon rushed out to her, reaching for her with a helpful claw. She just batted it away.

"Enough!" called Varian. "I can't have both of you ripping each other apart."

"Not me," said Neltharion. "I..."

"You what?" Calia asked. "Love me? Is that it? Don't think I heard you say that last while...a little tipsy."

"I said I loved you?" Neltharion asked.

"Yes, you did," she said. "But I'm guessing it was the alcohol talking since I gave you enough to knock you out at least. The pour baby was having a nightmare and keeping me awake. So, I knocked him out. How many people can say they knocked out Deathwing so they can go to sleep? Only me."

"Dear gods..." Varian sighed.

Thrall shook his head in dismay.

"You two need to straighten up," began Jaina. "We can't have both of you arguing. Despite what happened those decades ago, that is besides the point. We need to figure out what it is that you sent those dragons for."

"I don't know," said Neltharion. "I...I honestly don't know."

"Liar," said Calia.

"No!" he growled. Neltharion grabbed hold of the human by her arm and pulled her close to him. "Now listen, Calia, Deathwing is the liar. But not Neltharion. Everything I say is true. I don't remember. I know something about the facility, but not much because Deathwing doesn't want me to."

"So, is this a part of the plan for the Hour of Twilight?" asked Thrall.

"It possibly is," said Neltharion looking back at the orc. "One of his many plans. He was using my memories, my knowledge of what the Titans did here to make this world in order to break it. The facility in Uldum was dedicated to planetary ecology, that I do know. They studied how to make this planet habitable for life they wanted on it."

"Us," said Varian.

"In a sense," said Neltharion. "At least what you were before the Curse of the Flesh. The one who was in charge of the planet's ecology was in fact my Titan, Khaz'goroth. He was charged to make this planet habitable and then he passed that knowledge onto me when he created me. My job is to make sure it stays habitable."

"Created?" asked Thrall.

"I wasn't born like you were, Thrall," said Neltharion. "I was...grown in a tube...my...body specifically designed for the purpose of wielding the knowledge and power Khaz'goroth granted me. I told you, I have no mother, no father. I didn't even hatch out of an egg. He took the flesh of the massive proto-dragon Galakrond and...grew me out of a vat."

"Not the fantastic story I heard of how the five Aspects came to be," said Thrall.

"Did you expect heavenly light, the Titans granting us god-like powers after they chose the greatest of us?" Neltharion asked. "No, they grew what they needed to watch over Azeroth. Each of Galakrond was sliced and in these facilities, we were made, our age advanced, our minds programmed with incredible knowledge, and a piece of the personality of the Titan we took after. That was it. The rest was then cloned to create our flights so that we could have a way of sustaining our population."

He sighed and gave a scratch to a metallic plate on his spine. The sand from Durotar had gotten in between the plates and were starting to irritate him. He had not bathed since he got here and he wished he could wash the dust from his scales. The river he played in that day was nice, but he wanted a warm bath.

"That facility would have knowledge on how to change the very ecology of the planet itself," he began. "Khaz'goroth's knowledge is there including a few of his own machines. His power controlled what the planet did, and so does mine. There's specific things that attribute to a planet being able to support life, the air has to be like thus, the water has to be just right, and the soil...the soil has to have the right nutrients. The planet has to be alive, with a changing crust and a moving mantle and core of molten rock to recreate new soil and new water and new air. Without that, this planet would not be able to support you. It is the most important thing. So, when the Titans came here to reformat the planet, they had to do some things to it...they had to change its composition, destroying the life that was already on it or binding that life up...the Old Gods." He closed his eyes and placed a claw to his head. "They...destroyed or entrapped the life that was here before that they...deemed unfit to survive and formatted the planet to house the life they wanted. Khaz'goroth can do that. I can do that...but the process takes a long time to do."

"What does that have to do with Uldum?" asked Calia.

"Wait," said Thrall. "He's remembering."

"There was a device built," said Neltharion, trying desperately to pull out the information trapped deep inside his mind. "That could do it on a global scale and very quickly."

"A device that can reformat the planet?" asked Varian.

"Yes," said Neltharion. "Which is bad for us. That device will destroy the current life that exists on Azeroth, and reformat the planet to make it suitable for any sort of new life you wish to seed upon it. It's like wiping the table clean only to be set for a new party all over again. That device, Deathwing used my memory of knowing where that device was to send the dragons to Uldum and find it."

"Here's another question," began Varian. "If you know of this device, than surely the other dragons knew of it as well. Why didn't they realize what Deathwing was after and either go after it themselves or send one of us to find it?"

"They don't know about the device," said Neltharion. "It's...it's not in their job description to know about it. Only mine. That's how Deathwing knew too."

"Do you know where the device is?" asked Jaina.

"No," said Neltharion. "But I do know where to find what is needed to operate it. It's in Uldum. It's possible that the device is there too, but I do know about the key."

"Deathwing wanted to use this device to destroy all life on Azeroth," said Varian.

"Not exactly," said Neltharion. "Destroy unfit life so that the life he chooses may survive...or rather, the life the Old Gods want to survive. I've seen what the Hour of Twilight will do, even my Black Dragon flight will all be destroyed and I killed as well. The only ones the Old Gods want to live on Azeroth are the Elementals and the Twilight Dragons and the Scourge. Nothing else. We are the unfit ones in their eyes. They used Deathwing's egotistical, elitist, ethnocentric beliefs of dragons being the true masters of the world to their means."

"Do you have those beliefs, Neltharion?" Varian asked.

"No, I saw mortal life upon Azeroth, tilling my ground and growing things out from it as a wondrous thing," said Neltharion. "I...I liked watching to see what the mortals were up to next. And I learned from you because of that. I loved how you respected the land. It was not my place to judge what you did with it so long as you appreciated it. Though, there were some that did not...and I was saddened, but I was not out to destroy you just because of those few. I did have fears though, fears of the ambitions of certain races here that could bring about trouble for Azeroth, nothing more. I wanted to go to them to tell them that they must be careful in what they were doing for all may suffer because of their ambitions. These beings I speak of were the Night Elves and Queen Azshara's Highborne. And they did exactly what I suspected and what I feared, but they had me to thank as well...my Demon Soul. By that time, my fears for the world, with the help of the Old Gods, created Deathwing the Destroyer who only wanted to destroy the mortal races."

Varian nodded and then focused coolly upon Neltharion, gazing into his eyes.

"I know what Deathwing looks like," he said. "I know how he acts. I know the look in his eyes. I know how he holds himself up. I know what kind of creature he is just by being near him. There is no mistake about that. What I see here is not Deathwing. I see the plates, I see the metal brace on his lower jaw, but this is not Deathwing. I cannot forgive everything that you have done as Deathwing, however, by doing this one task, you can at least work forwards in getting a better reputation with the Alliance. Something tells me, Earth-Warder, if you wish to continue doing your job properly, you'll need allies." He then turned to Calia. "I know it may be hard, but you must put that past behind you. Find a way, I don't care. The task ahead is important, more important than one night of a marriage you did not want. This means the very life of Azeroth. You don't succeed, we will all parish."

Calia took in a breath and then looked over at Neltharion. The Black Dragon smiled at her again sweetly as an attempt to make her see that he was happy she was going with him, despite her hatred. He wanted her to see that he did not hate her. She only rolled her eyes at the smile, which again made his shoulders slump and his head lower. There was no pleasing her.

"You both will fly to Uldum," said Varian. "The sooner you get there the quicker we can stop those dragons who are trying to gain access to this device. Who exactly is working for them?"

"Commander Schnottz," said Jaina. "We have been tailing his goblins for a while now. But when the dragons showed up...things got a little hairy. Perhaps Neltharion can put a stop to that."

"Hoping that you still have control over your flight after deciding to give up evil," said Varian.

"I may have some control," said Neltharion. "The Twilight Dragons...I am not certain. Though I created them, they often acted independently, only doing as ordered because they were carrying out the will of the Old Gods rather than the commands of Deathwing."

"Meaning the Old Gods only used you as a means to create the Twilight Dragonflight," said Thrall. "No doubt once the Hour of Twilight comes and all the Aspects but you are gone, they will have no issues in helping the Old Gods mount you on the top of Wyrmrest Temple."

"Mount you on the temple?" Calia asked.

"That's what I was dreaming about last night," he said. "The Old Gods taking hold of me and skewering my belly with the spire of Wyrmrest."

Calia just let off a huff, showing little interest in the matter. Neltharion began to wonder if she would have loved to see his body dead on top of Wyrmrest with the spire poking out his back and his blood dripping everywhere. He never felt so much hatred from one human before, especially towards himself. Neltharion sighed and settled himself down onto the cold stone.

"Okay, we fly to Uldum," said Calia began. "Just how am I supposed to ride on him?"

"I was able to ride without any trouble," said Thrall.

"Yes, but I'm not that great at riding barebacked," she said.

"Saddle him," said Varian.

Neltharion's head perked up: "What?"

"Ride on a saddle?" Calia asked.

"Actually, for something his size, more like a harness," said Aggra. "I don't think a saddle will fit. You will have a belt that goes around your waist with straps leading off that will attach you to the harness going around Neltharion's neck. That way, you won't fall off when you ride him."

"Now...wait a moment," began Neltharion. "Out of courtesy, I allowed Thrall and Aggra to ride on my back because I knew it would be faster if I flew them here rather than we walking. But I will not be harnessed, saddled, or...I'm not a damned horse! I'm a Dragon Aspect."

"It's to make sure that Calia doesn't fall off," said Jaina.

"Oh, I'm sure he wants me to fall off," said Calia. "Just drop right off his shoulders, he wouldn't even feel a thing if it happened."

"No!" Neltharion said. "That's not it at all. I don't want you to fall off either."

"The harness, then," said Jaina. "We can start making it today, have it ready by tonight for a small test flight so they can be off by tomorrow."

"Could we put reins on him too?" Calia asked.

Neltharion huffed: "I suppose you'd want a ball gag to go with it..."

"Now that you mention it..." Calia grinned sinisterly at him.

"Sadistic bitch..." Neltharion said under his breath, looking away.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing!"

"No reins," said Jaina. "Just something to make sure you don't fall off, Calia."

"Wonderful," said Calia.

Neltharion snorted again. He wanted this to be pleasant, but he had a feeling it was not going to be that. So long as Calia continued to hate him, there was no hope that this trip would ever go smoothly. Now, he only hoped that he could just get it over with and be done. For the first time since he left Dragonblight, he was sorry he did. He much rather be back in the Black Dragonshrine, weeping over those he loved than remain one more moment with someone who could not care less whether he existed or not.


	7. VII

**VII**

She dunked his head under the water, scrubbing away at the plates on his spine. She gave a scrub behind his cheek horns around his ear holes. One thing she hated about him at least his outer appearance was the smell. Earthy smell, she did not mind, but he had a stench of a volcano. She continued to scrub behind his ears, getting the dirt out from them until she noticed something soft and shiny growing out from behind his ears. She pulled the shiny things out, realizing they were in fact tuffs of hair. Calia pulled the black hair out and brushed her fingers trhough it, the soap making it less tangled. The hair came halfway down his neck. Then, she dunked his head under the water again, holding it there. Neltharion struggled under her grip, and then lifted his head back up, coughing.

"Is this necessary?" he asked.

"Yes!" said Calia, she poured the water over his head.

"Why?"

"If I'm going to ride on your back," she began. "I want you cleaned." She pulled on the tuffs again. "I did not know you have hair."

"Hair?" he asked.

"Yes, hair," she said. "Here. See?"

Neltharion saw Calia pull out the tuffs of long black hair around his jaw line. He reached up and touched them.

"They grew back," he said. "I...I originally had hair around there, but it was burned off when I became Deathwing. I actually had a full beard around my jaw once."

Calia took in a breath and pulled the tuffs out on his right side. Almost in a subconscious action, she started to braid it up. Then, she came to the left and braided it up as well. She tied them up in leather strings and let them swing around his neck. Calia walked out in front of him and looked about his body. The Black Dragon gave a shake much like a dog slinging the water from his scales. He flapped his wings, showering Calia with water.

"Stop!" she called. "Stop! Damn you, stupid dragon!"

"I am not stupid!" Neltharion, stepping out of the large wash tub. "And I'm not going to take your insults anymore. I realize you don't like me all that much, I understand that. I know where it comes from..."

"Do you?" she asked.

"Yes," said Neltharion. "I do. But you have to accept that I'm not that person anymore. If we are ever going to complete this quest, you will have to come to terms with it."

She have a huff and tossed the towel at the dragon's face. She stormed away from him. Neltharion lowered his head. There was no pleasing her. Neltharion glanced over, noticing Thrall and Aggra walking towards him. Thrall placed a hand on the Black Dragon's shoulder and gave it a pat.

"I need to return to the Earthen Ring," he began. "To bring this news to them. However, there is something I wish to offer you."

"What is it?" Neltharion asked.

"I know the dragons would rarely associate themselves with mortal organizations," began Thrall. "However, I know that there were exceptions of the rule. Korialstrasz to name one."

"Yes," he nodded.

"I wish to offer you a position with the Earthen Ring," said Thrall. "Who better than you to help us heal this fractured planet?"

"I suppose I should at least do that much," said Neltharion. "Would they want me to join them after all that I've done?"

"They would want something from you considering what you have done," said Thrall. "They are not satisfied with the idea of just letting you off the hook."

"I suppose so," said Neltharion.

"It is something you should think about," said Thrall. "I will be passing this off to Muln Earthfury. The first thing they will have you do probably is to heal the World Pillar."

"The World Pillar," said Neltharion. "That is the least I probably could do for the damage I've caused. So, I will need to return to Deepholm. You know Therazane hates me, right?"

"You represent a greater power of Earth," said Thrall. "The Titan's power over Earth. I suppose besides keeping an eye on Azeroth's ability to remain habitable for us, your other duty was prison warden at least for Therazane."

"You're right," said Neltharion. "It was. Wonderful, isn't it?"

"It is something for you to think about," said Thrall. "We are independent. We have no affiliation officially with either the Alliance or the Horde. Our duties are to the safety of the world of Azeroth itself. We need someone like you on our side."

"I'll think on it," said Neltharion.

Thrall touched one of the braids hanging off of Neltharion's lower line.

"Nice hair," he said.

"I would say the same for you," said Neltharion, flipping one of Thrall's braids.

"I would like to give you something," said Thrall. "And I suppose those braids would be perfect to tie them on."

He pulled out a couple of feathers from his bag and tied them to Neltharion's braids. Draping off the ties were small stone rings.

"Don't loose those," he said. "It'll tell every shaman around Azeroth you are their friend. They'll know Thrall approves."

"I appreciate it," said Neltharion. "Actually, I appreciate everything you've done for me, Thrall. You brought me out of my prison, you saved my life from being nothing more than an object to Deathwing and the Old Gods. Without you, I wouldn't have a fighting chance against them. Everything that Deathwing has done was through me and I could do nothing but watch and it pained me so. You gave me the chance to do something. I...I don't know how to repay you. I don't know where to begin."

"You can begin by considering my offer," said Thrall.

"I will consider it," said Neltharion. "Knowing that I can do something to right the horrible things I've done..."

"You said yourself you want to know what you can do to fix Azeroth," said Thrall. "The Earthen Ring can make suggestions to you. I'm glad you are considering it, Earth-Warder."

"I have to complete this task first, though," said Neltharion. "I have to stop Schnottz. He was working for me, the information that I gave him will allow him access to the device. I have to stop him."

"Then, I wish you luck, my friend," said Thrall. Both he and Aggra turned and walked away, making their way towards the docks to the east. Thrall, turned back around. "When you are done, we'll be in Deepholm."

Neltharion nodded as he saw the two orcs begin to once more walk towards the docks. There went probably the only two friends he had left in this world. He took in a breath and looked out wards the southeast. He could have sworn he saw a flash of light on the horizon. The Maelstrom. He wondered if he should call it his Maelstrom. His ears turned towards the sound of hammers clanking upon iron anvils. They were already making the links for the harness. The leather worker was tanning the hides for the last bits of the straps. A large roll of cotton to use as a buffer against his neck was being sown together.

He stepped forward, allowing himself to retain his true size once more when some of the workers came out with one of the enormously long, leather straps. He lifted his tail up just as the humans walked under him. Then, the next group of humans dragged out the belt that would go around his neck.

Jaina and Calia came out, Calia fiddling with the belted harness going around her waist. Neltharion settled himself down and lifted the belt up to his neck, fastening it securely to him. He let the rest of the leather ropes dangle down as workers began to hoist ladders around him. They climbed up his back side and started to pull the secondary harness up to the base of his tail and fastened it securely as well. The Earth-Warder was looking out towards the western skies, taking note the sun was already starting to set.

He flipped his head around, feeling the new sensation of the bits of hair tied in those braids brush across his scales. He had not had hair around his face in centuries. Neltharion could not help but to smile. It was a symbol that his body was accepting him as the one in control again, returning to how it once looked prior to Deathwing's augmentation. Though, he knew that much will not return. He will always be this inflated, bloated size, the plates will always remain in certain places, and that brace on his lower jaw will always be there. But at least he can go back to looking somewhat like himself.

A dwarf tugged on the straps, testing them. Then, he slid down the rope ladders.

"Are you all set?" Jaina asked Calia. Calia looked up, her face turning white.

"I've never ridden on a mount that flies," she said.

"From what I understand, riding on a dragon is a bit of a different experience," said Jaina. "And you are riding on a Dragon Aspect. They fly faster than just regular dragons."

"Wonderful," said Calia. "I just hope he doesn't make me fall off."

"Don't worry about it," said Jaina. "Just a quick fly around the coast and return for some rest. We need to make sure this is going to work. I mean, we put this thing together in a day, I hope it works."

"So do I," said Calia.

"Just don't kick him in the head," said Jaina. "And be a little nicer to him, at least. He's the one to take you to Uldum."

"No promises," said Calia as she slowly approached the Earth-Warder. "Well?"

"What?" asked Neltharion.

"Aren't you going to lower down so I can get on?" she asked.

"Of course," said Neltharion, leaning down onto his belly. He extended a foreleg out and Calia slowly began to climb up the scales. Once more, she took note that they did not burn her at the least. Not like 20 years ago. He was cool to the touch. Maybe they were right, maybe the monster known as Deathwing was just some sort of parasitic personality inside the Earth-Warder that made him change like that. Deathwing burned, Neltharion did not. Deathwing had eyes that looked like they were on fire, Neltharion's eyes were cool, kind, except for that time when she shot him in the eye. But even then, the one bloodshot eye that glowed did not glow with the same fire that Deathwing's eyes did. Though, she could still see the glowing streaks here and there where he still split between the scales. Those splits were being held together by the plates she climbed on. However, despite the glowing, molten core she saw in the split of his scales, all she felt was warmth like being under a blanket, not raging fire that threatened to consume her. He jerked his shoulders to help her up comfortably onto his back. She hugged his plated neck tightly with her legs, linking the straps to the harness around his neck. She gave a good test to the straps, checking their security.

"Alright," called Jaina. "Just once around the coast and come back. I've been getting reports of a storm heading our way."

"Great," said Calia. "Just to add to the fun, huh?"

Neltharion felt himself seep lower into a sulk at the sound of Calia's sarcastic tone. His eyes became downcast.

"Well?" Calia asked. "Aren't you going?"

"I'm not moving," said Neltharion.

"Why not?" Calia asked.

"Because you didn't say 'please'," he replied, looking back at her.

"For the love of..." Calia threw up her hands in frustration. "Please, will you go! Before we get caught in the storm, preferably!"

Neltharion started off in a dash and then launching into the air, flapping his wings powerfully. Calia held onto the harness, letting loose a scream as the Black Dragon rose swiftly higher. She felt herself being pulled back against his back by the force of his swiftly rising body. The ground slowly grew smaller and smaller as he took her higher and higher. The wind pounded against her face, blinding her eyes. It was chilly up here and she shivered.

"Oh god, please, just take me down, take me down!" she begged the Earth Aspect. Calia pulled herself up and leaned forward over his plated neck, reaching out for a bolt. She saw the plates move as his neck moved up and down with the beat of his wings. She heard the adamantine clank against each other and she could see the glowing fissures between the plates. They seem to pulsate as he flapped his wings, indicating his heart working. In fact, she could hear his heart beating slowly and rhythmically inside his neck. Neltharion banked sharply and Calia felt herself being flung hard in the harness.

"Watch it, you bastard!" she called. "I'm up here, you know."

"Just giving the harness a good test," said Neltharion.

Then, he flipped over and flew upside down. Calia glanced upward, or rather downward towards the coastal line and she felt her heart leap into her throat.

"Oh!" Calia called. "No! No! Other way, other way! Flip over, flip over! Get me down from here, that's enough!"

"You still on, dear?" Neltharion asked.

"Don't you 'dear' me!" Calia called. "Yes, I'm still on, now flip us over and start flying back to Theramore. Now!"

"Not until you agree we have a talk first," said Neltharion.

"We have...nothing to discuss," said Calia. "We had our chat last night."

"The most one-sided chat I've ever been in," said Neltharion. "And that's coming from someone over ten thousand years old. I am not landing anywhere near Theramore until we talk."

"Talk about what?" she asked.

"Us," he replied. "You and me, our...sham marriage...everything. You know, while the king was here, you could have asked him to divorce us."

"I could have," said Calia.

"You didn't," said Neltharion. "Why?"

"Because, I'm royalty..."

"Was royalty," said Neltharion. "You don't have a country anymore. No title, nothing. What's stopping you?"

"I want to remind myself who I married because I did what my father asked," she said. "And claim though he is my husband, I hate every being of him."

"Now you're lying," said Neltharion.

"Just get me down from here, all the blood is rushing into my brain!" Calia shouted. "I'm seeing stars!"

"As you wish, Princess," the dragon said as he flipped back over. He spied a small island not too far off from the coast and made for it. When Neltharion landed, he leaned himself down to allow Calia to dismount.

"Why are we here?" she asked. "I told you to go back to Theramore."

"We haven't finished our talk," said Neltharion.

"We're done," said Calia. "Take me back to Theramore. I don't need your help, I can handle Uldum myself."

"You can't," he said. "You need me. I know Schnottz personally, and the dragons he's working with. Trust me, you can't handle this on your own."

"Take me back to Theramore, now, Deathwing," Calia began. "Or so help me, I will inform King Varian Wynn you kidnapped me and he will cast you back into Deepholm! Lock you up alongside the Stonemother. You two can play cards."

Just as Neltharion was about to protest, a thunder clapped in the sky. Lightning flashed and the dark clouds rolled over both of them. Soon, chilly rain poured down upon both, drenching them to the bone.

"Perfect, just perfect!" Calia shouted. "Now you have to take me back to Theramore."

Neltharion felt the harsh wind rise up, blowing the trees around. He heard the sound of one tree falling over in the forest behind him.

"We're not going anywhere," he said. "Not in this storm. And this will give us a chance to talk."

"You're afraid of flying in a storm?" Calia asked. "The mighty Deathwing afraid of a storm?"

"I don't want you to get hurt," Neltharion replied his voice growing soft.

"I can't get anymore hurt by you," said Calia. "You've done enough. You've ripped my heart out!"

Neltharion leaned his head down to her, growling at her in frustration. His lips pulled back across his enormous, sharp teeth. As his teeth parted, she could have sworn she could see a faint glow down his throat. Smoke rose out his nostrils.

"I am getting sick of this," he said. "I am getting sick of you berating me. I have done nothing to you but try to be your friend. Nothing!"

"Don't lie to me and say you've done nothing," said Calia. "My scars are a testimony to what you have done."

"That was Deathwing..."

"You are Deathwing!"

"No, I am not! Didn't you listen to Varian? Didn't you hear what he said? Even he saw that I wasn't Deathwing."

He huffed smoke from his nostrils.

"I have tried to say that I am sorry, I've apologized for everything that Deathwing did to you, Calia," he began. "Deathwing wouldn't do that. He wouldn't care to even say he was sorry. I know he hurt you, but he hurt me many times more."

"How dare you equate what he did to me to what he did to you..."

Calia shivered in the cold rain, her brunette hair sticking to her neck, her clothes clinging closely to her body. Her balled fists shook in the cold.

"How dare you!" she shouted.

"Then tell me what he did to you and I will tell you what he did to me!" Neltharion bellowed back, causing the ground to tremble beneath both of them.

"You know what he did?" she asked. "Took my love for him and smashed it, that's what he did. I thought I was falling in love with him, with you. Now I thought about it, I began to believe that there was a spell on me. He manipulated me, you manipulated me. I wondered whether or not those feelings I had for you were real. You looked so handsome. I wanted so much to be your wife, but only when I was ready. Then, he took that all away from me. I was angry at father because he made me marry you before even giving me a choice. But even if I had that choice, it still would have been you. Was it your mind controlling, or was it me?"

Then, she turned away from him.

"You know what the worse part is?" she asked him. "Not just the rape that happened on our wedding night, the night where we were supposed to share our love for one another...no...though that was a hateful, malicious act, it wasn't the crowning moment. After you disappeared, I was pregnant. I was pregnant with your child. Then, nine months later, I had your child. They said the labor was nearly life threatening. They wondered whether or not I would survive. There was so much blood loss. Then, when I had the baby, they quickly took it from me. I heard the baby cry and then...I heard nothing. Arthas came in, he had a knife in his hands."

"Arthas?" Neltharion asked. "What did he do?"

"What do you think?" she asked. "Yes, my loving husband, our brother killed our child."

"Why?"

"He said the child looked deformed," said Calia. "With black scales and fangs already in its mouth, and stubby wings and a stubby tail. He said it even had claws. That was when he knew just who I married that day. We all knew. The rape was a clue, but we had the evidence now. Calia Menethil of Lordaeron and Queen of Alterac, wife of Deathwing the Destroyer, the King of Alterac! Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

Neltharion settled back, the rain pouring down upon him, running rivers down his frayed wings. He closed his eyes mourning for a child he never knew.

"A half-breed," he said. "The first true being born of a mortal and a dragon mating I have ever known."

"Yes," she said. "The first. I'm so special. After the birth, they examined me. The healers said I may never have a child again. There was so much tearing, so much scarring that they did not want to risk me getting pregnant. So, damaged goods. What use is a princess if she can't be wedded off to a husband and create and heir?"

"You can't believe that's all you're good for..."

"You know how our society works," she began. "Princesses aren't supposed to be any other way. In a way, I am happy I left that life behind and became Calia Hastings. My life has new purpose. But it also has one other thing...you...gone forever. I loved you, you used me, you took me, you abused me...you gave me a mutant child, took away the joy of ever having another...and then...you left. Why am I still married to you? Why not just dump you? Divorce you? You deserve no less. But to keep you around as my husband...to know that I still have a connection to that which I despise in hopes that he may one day end up right here in front of me...it gives me joy."

Neltharion let a tear drip from his lid and felt a sob reach up and choke him. He lowered his body completely onto the wet ground and laid on his side, staring at his wife.

"We are done," said Calia. "Take me back to Theramore."

"No," he said. "We are not. Now, it is my turn."

"Fine," she said, shivering. Calia let loose a sneeze. Neltharion looked up at the storm and then curled his body around her, extending a wing out to give her some shelter. He leaned his head towards her, his hot breath brushing up against her, warming her.

"Don't expect me to say thank you," she said.

"What is your problem?" he asked.

"My problem is you," she replied.

"It shouldn't," Neltharion said, wagging his head. "It should have been Deathwing."

"Oh, yeah, still going with that, huh? You believe it yourself that you did none of that and it was some parasite in your head taking the controls? You know what I believe? I believe you were jealous that all the other dragons got special powers and all you got was dirt. And so, you want to make all the rest of us innocents suffer because you're pitching a fit over it!"

"You think that..." Neltharion began, his eyes growing wide. "You think that I was jealous? You think this was all I got?" He lifted up some of the mud from the ground and let it sift through is claws, splashing into a puddle. "Let me show you otherwise, mortal." He brought his head even close to her, lifting it up over her until her cheek came in contact with his huge neck. "You had your say, now listen to me. I'll show you why all those things happened to you...because they happened to me as well. You were only his pawn for a few months, I have endured his torment for a millennia. Enough to break me into the...helpless, pitiful thing I am now. Listen to my heart, Calia...listen to it beat."

She pressed her ear against his neck and felt the slow thumping of his heart beat deeply into his chest. She began to breathe slowly at the sound as if the sound itself was calming the hatred that was inside of her. Lifting a hand up to his neck, she leaned herself against it, just wanting to listen to nothing more than that sound. She felt her own body become in tune with the beating of his heart, it pulsating through her.

"You know what you are hearing?" he asked, his voice reverberating through his neck.

"No..." she replied.

"The heart of Azeroth itself," Neltharion replied. "It was a wondrous gift that the Titans gave me when I was born. I was born with the heart of Azeroth renewed, stricken from its chaotic, parasitic form, beating deeply inside of me. But the...heart came with a price. They...have forgotten who it was they left inside the world. And only I could hear them." His voice became broken with a sob. "They...tormented me...they hurt me...they...were my burden to bare...alone...I could not ask for help for each time I tried, they silenced me..."

_He's a liar, Calia!_

Calia jerked back when she head a whisper emanate from Neltharion's neck.

_The little whelp's a liar!_

_We all know what to do with liars._

_Punish him, Calia._

_Little whelp has been bad._

_Bad whelp! Sick the switch at him!_

Calia swallowed at the sounds of the voices, plucking at her mind. She felt her body begin to move on its own through a will not of her own. She reached down to pull out a knife from her belt.

_Make him bleed!_

_Make the whelp suffer as you have!_

Neltharion felt his own body react, slumping down and rolling slightly over to allow her better access to one of his softer spots in his neck. Calia had control over her eyes and saw his own. They moved, frantically shifting around. It was obvious to her, he had no control of his body as well. Neltharion could not move. He stood deathly still, breathing in and out slowly, his massive chest heaving as he breathed. Calia saw the scales shift over a glowing rip.

_There, strike him there!_

"Calia..." Neltharion grunted out between his teeth. "Don't...listen to them..."

Calia charged for the dragon, knife high. She dove the knife into the slit in his neck and a bit of his fiery blood spurted out. The dragon growled, feeling the pain of the blade entering him, but the tiny knife up against his massive form did little but annoy him. Calia finally felt herself gain control of her own body and knelt down before the blood could splash upon her. She saw the glowing ichor hiss upon the cold ground, hardening into black glass as it cooled rapidly. It really was like lava.

"You...you allowed me to do that!" she called. "You...you...why didn't you stop me?"

Neltharion felt his body return to his own control again as the voices relinquished their hold. He reached up and took the knife from his neck.

"I couldn't," he said. "Now...you know. For ten thousand years, I was nothing more than a puppet. My conscious mind locked away while someone else drove my body to do unspeakable acts of violence...using my beautiful gifts that were made to help this world...to cause it pain. I felt the agony of everyone I hurt including you. I heard their screams. And I could do nothing to stop it. Deathwing was nothing more than an emotion the ones known as the Old Gods brought out from me after tormenting my mind over and over again, making me feel such emotions as rage, hate, fear, vengeance, and selfishness. They said everyone was out to get me, I could trust no one. I was alone. I tried to fight them, Calia, but each time I did, they only grew stronger. Then, they hurt me, forcing me to do their bidding, tricking the other Aspects into giving their power to a device I created...a device when combined with the Well of Eternity did...that..." He looked out towards the southeast where beyond the storm above them, a line of swirling clouds formed.

"The Maelstrom," said Calia. "You were responsible for the Maelstrom."

"Partially," said Neltharion. "The Old Gods brought out the worst in me and created Deathwing from it. They fueled that personality with their powers so that it would be the dominant one inside my body, shoving Neltharion, who still represented the good, kind, generous, and forgiving, loving personality aside and locking him up. He was not done. He made me watch everything. My body acted on its own, saying words I did not want it to say, doing things I did not want it to do. I could do nothing. Only beg Deathwing to stop. When the deed was done...I knew that Deathwing had turned everyone against me. I wanted them to kill me just because I hoped in death I would be freed. It saddened me to see my own family want me dead for the actions I had no say in. It saddened me even more that they did not know what was happening to me. They could have stopped it! Not once did they lift a finger to stop it." Neltharion sighed and closed his eyes. "They really did turn against me all because of Deathwing's actions. And it hurt me so much. That was when I...gave up. I allowed Deathwing to win."

He turned to her, his eyes softening when they focused upon her.

"You want to know something?" he asked, reaching up to touch the wound the knife had caused. "I am glad I met you, Calia. When Deathwing laid eyes upon you as a means for him to ascend to the throne of Alterac, I saw something else. For the first time, I was able to see a face clearly and hear a voice clearly. Deathwing prevented me from seeing anything clearly. To me, everything looked distorted and dark. He wanted me to remain scared, helpless, so I wouldn't try and call for help, or reach out to anyone. But I saw you clearly, I could reach out to you. I wanted to reach out to you and touch you to see that you were real. You gave me hope that maybe I could overcome him. I wanted you to help me out of my darkness."

Calia focused her eyes upon his. She felt her own heart quiver for a moment. She did not know what she could say to that. She sat down, subconsciously leaning up against his neck again. She was cold, she wanted to get warm. He was the only warm thing she had. Neltharion extended his wing again and kept the rain off of her.

"Calia," he began. "I don't want you to hate me. I can't take back what has happened. When I was forced to watch Deathwing inflict his own will upon you, it brought me back to all those times he did the same to my family. My mates, he raped and killed them, all but one...who like you, survived with horrible burns and with a burning passion in her heart for vengeance and hatred towards what he did. My children, they were so young, happy, then he destroyed them, turning them into these mindless robots who wanted nothing more than power. I watched over the centuries as he ruined my family, turned my flight into hoarding, spiteful monsters, not protectors and guardians of Azeroth. Tell me, Calia, tell me how that is any worse than what he did to you? He didn't just rape you, he raped me, my mates, my children, he destroyed everything I loved. You think you've suffered, child? You don't know what suffering is."

He laid his head down, closing his eyes tightly, letting his tears flow once more.

"I don't want you to hate me," Neltharion rumbled pitifully. "Please, don't hate me. I didn't want him to hurt you. I wanted to save you. He...he saw that I started caring for you, hearing me beg to leave you alone, not to use you. Deathwing only smiled. Those feelings you had for me, the love you said you had...fleeting fantasies of a young girl towards a handsome, heroic looking man...what you felt were my emotions for you that Deathwing used on you to make you attracted to him. I saw you as the heroic knight coming to save me from the evil monster that is Deathwing. As silly as that sounds."

Calia sat there in silence. Minutes seemed to roll on by as she tried to fathomed just what the Aspect had said. This was one of the most powerful beings in the world, a creation of the Titans to guard Azeroth and he was imagining her to be the one to save him from a horrible monster. Then, she started laughing. It wasn't a mocking laugh or a spiteful laugh, but a laugh of relief of tension in her body. Her laugh boiled up loudly and she leaned against his neck, giving it a good slap on the side.

"Why...why are you laughing?" Neltharion asked.

"I don't know!" Calia said and then continued to laugh. "I don't know. It's the idea...me, as a knight or something, coming to rescue you from Deathwing! I can just see it! I'm dressed in shiny armor, and there's Deathwing, looking all mean...and then there's you, tied up, shouting in a falsetto voice: 'Oh, help me, save me!' And then, I ram the monster in the stomach with my lance. Deathwing falls to the ground, dead. Then, I in tie you and you say again in that falsetto voice: 'My heroine!' And we kiss and...live happily ever after...what a strange fairytale that would make."

Neltharion gave a small thought to that as well. Then, he chuckled at it. It was silly. It was very silly.

_Silly Neltharion! You are silly! I'm so happy you're silly again!_

Neltharion caught himself when he heard the sound of a giggle coming from his mind. It was not the Old Gods. He knew that giggle all too well. It was his sister, Ysera.

_That is silly! You two are silly together. You two are so cute together. I told you she likes you. You and her, you do make a cute couple..._

"Oh my..." he breathed, catching himself in mid laugh.

"What?" Calia asked.

"My sister," said Neltharion. "Ysera. She...she thinks that you and I...well...it's ridiculous, I know..."

Calia rose up and then walked around towards his head. She reached out again to touch that metallic brace on his chin. Her eyes ran down towards his neck, seeing the adamantine plates and the glowing streaks behind them, pulsating with each beat of his heart. In some ways, this was the monster that raped her, in others, he was not. This being was different, he did not burn, he laughed, he had sincerity and kindness in his voice, something that Deathwing only tried to fake. The kindness in Neltharion's voice was true, genuine. But then, she reminded herself of what Deathwing did while in control of Neltharion's body.

"I think it's time that we have the more serious talk now," she said. "I think that last talk was just trying to get everything off our chests. And we needed that. Neltharion...if I can call you that..."

"I want you to call me that," said Neltharion. "It is my true name."

"Neltharion," Calia began. "I can't...I can't just say I forgive you and everything will be alright. It doesn't work like that. I know it's been a couple decades, but it's hard to get over, even after all that time. I...I understand that you were not in control of your body's actions, that something else was. Those monsters, the Old Gods, they were in control. But, I can't just forget it all and say we're all better now...or that I...I love you. I...I don't know if I really do. As you said, those emotions I had for you...or rather Deathwing...came from his power over me." She reached up to touch his snout, feeling his warm breath upon her face. "But, I know I don't set aside my problems right now, we might as well just hand over that device in Uldum to Schnottz. So, as a leap of faith, I am willing to trust you and work with you."

"That sounds agreeable," said Neltharion. "Calia, I never asked for you to be...mated to me...as we say among dragons. I never asked for you to be my wife. If you want, at the end of this, we can have Varian divorce us and we can go our separate ways. But I will always care for you as a friend. I care for all mortals, but I honor my friends the most."

"Don't lie to yourself," said Calia. "I think in that big heart of yours, you do love me. Or you wouldn't had whispered it last night while drunk."

"People say the most ridiculous things while drunk," said Neltharion, giving a cheeky grin to her. "I don't know what I feel right now. I see the face of the woman who I wanted to come and rescue me from Deathwing. Maybe, because I was just so broken, I was just desperate for anything, even a mortal to save me from my darkness and because your face came in so clearly, I latched upon you the most."

"I don't know what to say to that," said Calia.

"You don't have to say anything," said Neltharion. He felt the rain stop as the clouds began to clear in the sky. "The rain stopped. Do you want to mount up and fly back to Theramore?"

"No," she replied. "Not just yet."

Calia looked up at the sky and saw the stars twinkle in the blackness. Above, she saw the band of speckling diamonds arch its way from horizon to horizon. The two moons were crescents and barely gave off any light. The only place where it seemed to still storm was the area where the Maelstrom was located. Neltharion gave a shake to his head, slinging some of the water from his horns and his braids. Then, he laid his head back down.

"Lay against me, I can keep you warm so you won't catch a cold," he said.

Calia leaned up against his neck again, letting his warmth seep into her. She shivered slightly and then relaxed against him.

"I just want to know something," she began. "Can I really trust you to help me?"

Neltharion gave a rumble as he nodded: "As my duty as the Guardian of the World, I will protect you during our mission, Calia. You can rest assured that I will be faithful in that."

"Thank you," she said.

Both of them drifted slowly off to sleep, deciding just to rest there before returning to Theramore.


	8. VIII

**VIII**

She awoke in a vale of green mist and soft grass. Calia looked around her surroundings. Neltharion was no where to be found. The landscape she saw looked like the island they landed upon, but then again, it did not. The sky was an odd green color as mists of green and blue flowed above. Stars twinkled in the sky merrily. Calia rose up and stopped, feeling great weight upon her. She looked down about her, noticing that she was now wearing heavy, gleaming armor. The armor itself was expertly made and seemed to more fit a man rather than a woman. It was indeed rather baggy on her. In her hand was a very large, gleaming broadsword. She heard the whiny of a white stallion with a luscious long mane and tail. On its saddle blanket was the standard for the Alliance. Calia wondered just why she was dressed like this. This place did not make sense.

Then, she heard the sounds of feet running for her. Out from the woods came a Night Elf with long white horns, deep purple skin and green hair. She wore green armor and matching cloak. The Night Elf stopped before Calia, out of breath and panicking. Calia recognized this Night Elf. She was no elf, she was Ysera, the Dreamer, the Green Dragon Aspect.

"Oh, oh, thank goodness I found you!" she said with relief but desperation in her voice. "You have to save him! He's in trouble!"

"What?" Calia asked.

"My brother, he's in trouble!" Ysera said. "Please save him!"

"This must be a joke," said Calia. "Where's Neltharion?"

Ysera gave Calia a frustrated, yet worried glance.

"Joke?" she asked. "You think that I would joke about my dear brother being in danger? Please, Calia. Please! You're the only one to save him!"

She took hold of the horse's reins and then grabbed Calia by the arm, dragging them both along. Ysera brought them out through a clearing in the woods over a hill. Beyond the hill itself was a swelling of thunderous, pthalo green, sulfurous clouds. Standing amidst the clouds was a dark, stony castle that Calia recognized as the Prestor Chateau. Then, right before the chateau was a massive black dragon.

"Neltharion!" she said.

"No, it isn't," said Ysera. "Look again."

The dragon was lined with all sorts of glowing cracks and rips, covered in crude adamantine plates, completely different than the shiny, clean, and well constructed plates that Neltharion now wore. The eyes burned with heated hatred and rage. Smoke billowed out from his jaws. He stood poised, ready to strike at anyone daring to approach the castle, wings spread, revealing the frayed edges and glowing veins. Lava dripped from his jaws. What really told her that this was not Neltharion was the fact the dragon was missing the braids she tied earlier that day or the feathers Thrall gave. There were no symbols of friendship on that black dragon.

"Deathwing," she said.

"Yes," said Ysera. "My brother is trapped in that castle, held prisoner by Deathwing..."

"Wait..." began Calia. "His vision of me...this is his dream of me wanting to save him. This is ridiculous."

"You're just going to leave my brother in there to die?" Ysera asked. "How could you?"

Her sparkling eyes looked to Calia. She bent before her, curling her fingers together, pleading to the human to help her.

"Save him," she said. "Please! You must save him. You're the only one who can."

"You mean in your great power, you can't just go in there and do it yourself?" Calia asked.

"No," said Ysera. She rushed and hugged Calia tightly. "Please, dear sister. Help my brother. Help your mate."

"I think after this, you and I need to have a talk too..." said Calia.

"I would enjoy a talk," said Ysera. "After you save Neltharion! Now, get going!"

"Oh my god, I cannot believe I am doing this," said Calia as she mounted up on the white horse. She kicked the stallion in the sides and charged down over the hill towards the menacing Deathwing. Behind her, she could hear the sound of Ysera cheering and clapping. Though, the very thought of piercing the very creature who had caused her so much pain in her life thrilled her. She was going to kill Deathwing, she was going to end his life. Was this why Ysera created this dream for her? There had to be something else. Calia charged on, her sword out, pointing forward. The Aspect of Death bellowed his own challenge and then let loose his fiery hot lava. Calia's horse reared back as the lava hit the ground, setting fire to the grass. She held on as tightly as she could hoping that she would not be thrown off. She could feel the heat of the flames, the heat off of Deathwing's body radiating in the air.

There was that heat, there it was...the thing that burned her soul.

That heat was missing from Neltharion. All she felt from him was comforting warmth.

There really was a difference between them.

She gripped the sword tightly, her mind snapping back to reality, or the dream that she was in, in fool realization that killing Deathwing would mean she would be saving a friend, not just ending her own pain.

Deathwing's claws slashed out towards her and she guided the horse through them. She sliced across his belly, opening up a line and his lava blood spilled out. The dragon seemed to falter just slightly and reared back, turning his head for another spray of his breath weapon. The horse finally threw her off just as the Black Dragon bellowed, spreading his wings. Calia scrambled to her feet as a massive forefoot from Deathwing slammed deathly close to her.

"Shit!" she shouted, scampering off towards the castle. "Oh, screw this, there's no way I can beat him! Ysera, this isn't funny anymore!"

She crossed the drawbridge and entered the castle as Deathwing came after her. Calia ducked seeing lava spill over the palisade of the castle itself, melting the stone. Looking up at one of the high towers, she made her way for it.

"Highest tower, right?" she asked. "The damsel is always in the highest tower. Oh, I can't do this alone, I need his help too!"

She raced up the stares to the tower just. Looking out a window, she saw a massive, fiery eye stare back at her.

"Why, why did I have to say I wanted revenge against Deathwing?" she asked as she scrambled as fast she could up the stairs. "Why? Why was it me?"

Finally, she came to the door to the room. Calia kicked it down. She was painting, she collapsed to her knees in exhaustion. Her body was so weighted down by the heavy armor she wore. She was not made to wear men's armor. Sweat drenched her forehead and came down on her neck, soaking her hair. Calia looked up to find a rather large bed with a Black Dragon lying on his back on it. Though the Black Dragon looked similar to Deathwing, with the metal plates and of course that gaudy chin brace, but she knew it was different. The plates were cleaner, shinier, the scales cleaner, shinier. Only a few glowing rips dotted here and there. And more important, there were the braids. Neltharion laid with a sheer cover over his whole body even his head. In his black claws was a bundle of wild flowers. This was indeed a silly sight to behold.

"You really have to be kidding me," said Calia. "Seriously kidding me."

Her thoughts were caught short when she heard the sound of Deathwing's roar from outside.

"Okay, Nel, nap time over!" she said as she rushed over to the bed. She threw off the covers. "Time to wake up."

"You can't!"

Calia glanced up to find Ysera standing beside her.

"You haven't slain the monster," she said. "And you have to kiss him to wake him up."

"I can't defeat Deathwing!" Calia shouted. "And...kiss him? In case you haven't heard, he and I are on a...break. We're just friends. Friends. Or rather, mutual acquaintances who kinda sorta like each other, would much rather keep a respectful distance from each other, but must work together for a common goal. Yeah. That."

Ysera gave her a pitiful, pouty expression, sticking her bottom lip out.

"Please!" she said.

"No!"

The tower began to shake and Deathwing's roar grew louder.

"Well, if you want him to help you," began Ysera. "You better kiss him to make him wake up."

"Seriously, is that what will wake him?" asked Calia.

"He won't waken any other way," said Ysera.

"Okay, fine!" she said just as the tower shook again, sending dust falling. Calia looked down at Neltharion and lifted his head up to her. "Why me? Why did it have to be me?"

She swallowed and closed her eyes. She kissed him in his dragon form before, however, she only did that in spite. And he was drunk. This was different. Calia's lips parted and pressed against Neltharion's scaly lips. She held him there in the long kiss, wrapping her arms around his thickly huge neck. Neltharion's eyes slowly opened and he pulled back from their embrace, confused.

"Calia, what?" he asked. "Why did you..."

"She made me!" Calia said, letting him drop back on the bed.

Neltharion rose up to find Ysera waving back at him.

"I got you two together!" she said.

"Ysera!" Neltharion shouted. "Did you...wait a moment..." He looked down at one of his claws. "Why am I holding flowers?" He looked back at Ysera. "Ysera, she and I...we're not...don't play matchmaker!"

"Does she do this often?" asked Calia.

"Before I was evil...a bit," said Neltharion.

"But you two love each other," said Ysera. "The kiss proved it."

"No we don't!" both shouted loudly.

"Ysera, dear sister," said Neltharion. "Maybe someday, but Calia and I are just friends...by the Titans...this is sounding like a sitcom."

The tower shook again and another roar sounded.

"What was that?" Neltharion asked.

"That was you," said Calia. "Or rather, the mean, hateful, evil you...you know...Deathwing."

Neltharion leaned out the window to find himself slamming his tail against the base of the tower.

"Oh, okay...okay..." he said as he shrank back. "Ysera, what is he...I...what the hell is Deathwing doing there?"

"I was going to give my sister-in-law the chance to slay the thing she hates so she can finally love you the way she should," said Ysera. "But she ruined it."

"He's Deathwing!" Calia said. "I'm one person against Deathwing! How do you expect me to go up against Deathwing?"

"You can't do it alone," said Neltharion. "We have to together."

"Together," said Calia. "I have a feeling we'll learn a life lesson from this."

"I wouldn't be surprised," said Neltharion. "Come here."

Calia nodded and braced herself up against him. Neltharion wrapped his wings around her and the two vanished. They reappeared at the base of the tower, outside in the courtyard. There, they found Deathwing. The monstrous dragon finally knocked down the tower, allowing it to crumble around them. Neltharion leaned his body over her, protecting her with his wings, holding her securely to him. Calia could not believe this, but she actually did feel safe in his arms. Then, he leaned away as the last of the stone fell around them. The Aspect of Earth looked up to the Aspect of Death.

"Hey, you!" Neltharion called. "Or rather...me...why don't you do us a favor and just...piss off! You've caused both of us enough problems already!"

"You are nothing without me, little whelp," said Deathwing. "I am what made you powerful."

"No, I think Khaz'goroth did that," said Neltharion. "You made me hurt my family, you made me hurt innocent people. You made me into a bully! That's what you did. And I'm not a bully. You keep haunting me and I'm sick of it. Why don't you leave me alone..."

He looked over at Calia and gave a nod. It was her turn.

"Um, yeah, you, go away," she said. "You took away my innocence, you raped me, you...betrayed the trust of my father."

"Eventually, someone was going to do it," said Deathwing. "I was the first. Your brother was the second."

"Leave my brother out of it!" she said. "I wanted to marry the man I loved. But you, you're not that man!"

"And who is that man, my dear?" Deathwing asked. "The whelp? Is he your prince? You barely even know him."

Calia blinked for a moment, considering that. She looked at Neltharion and then back at Deathwing. She really could see the difference between them.

"You know, that's none of your business," she said.

Deathwing chuckled.

"You both enjoy lying to yourselves?" he asked. "Those feelings he felt for you dear girl, he loved you because your sweet voice brought him to his senses. And I used that against the both of you. I couldn't have the little whelp find love again, it ruins the fun. But to realize those feelings you actually had for me...or him...were the same when I allowed you to sense his...even more delicious. You thought I was controlling you that whole time? I merely amplified what was already there that the two of you already shared. And it only furthered my plans."

"You what?" Calia asked. She looked back at Neltharion.

Neltharion eyed him, studying him. Then, his eyes lit up in realization. Something was deeply wrong.

"Calia, Ysera must have pulled him out of me by accident when she was trying to create something for you to fight," said Neltharion said. "Or, I'm thinking the Emerald Nightmare is helping in creating him. I don't think Ysera would literally recreate Deathwing...the real Deathwing."

"Real Deathwing?" Calia asked. "You mean, he's the real...as in...that's you?"

"Was me," said Neltharion. "The other personality that still somewhere exists in me. He's the one the Old Gods want to bring out again for the Hour of Twilight. It manifested itself here."

"The thing I wanted to kill the most, and here he is," she said. "Let's do it. Let's kill the bastard."

"Put an end to both our pain," said Neltharion. "Deathwing, you better make piece with your end. Because the hour of your death will fall."

Neltharion grew out to his full size, his size matching that of Deathwing's. He knelt down to Calia, allowing her to climb up onto his shoulders just as Deathwing took off. As the Earth Aspect rose up, he spread his wings and leapt into the air after him. Calia held on tightly to the dragon's adamantine plates as he rose higher towards his foe. Deathwing darted off, firing his lava at Neltharion, who only replied with a similar stream. The two were locked firing their breath weapons at each other until Neltharion ducked down. He rose up and caught Deathwing in mid flight. Claws latched to each other, and the two began to tumble. Calia called forth her sword and climbed towards Neltharion's head. Straddling herself between his massive, black, branched horns, she raised the sword up towards Deathwing's head below. The world spun around them as the two colossal Black Dragons began to fall.

"I can't hold him long!" Neltharion shouted.

Calia flung her sword forth and it impaled upon Deathwing's right eye, splattering his glowing blood out from the wound. Neltharion let go of one of Deathwing's claws and racked his own claw across the Black Dragon's jaw. The metallic brace was then knocked off, hanging loosely now from one bolt on the other side of Deathwing's jaw. Blood splashed upon Neltharion's chest, but did nothing to burn him. He then took his claws and dug them into the plates that held together the Aspect of Death's chest and pulled them apart. Deathwing bellowed out in agony as his chest was ripped apart, his lava-like blood erupting from his molten core. Then, Neltharion let the Destroyer go, swinging his own tail around and allowed his tail blade to slice across Deathwing's belly. Deathwing flailed about, his body began to melt from the inside out as it expanded. It swelled, the cracks in his hide growing wider, breaking the other plates that were holding him together. Then, the demonic dragon crashed upon the hills near the castle in a fiery ruin. His body continued to expand out, his head swelling to a disproportionate mound of boiling, molten pool. Neltharion landed and watched with wide eyes as he saw the evil part of himself melt away from the terrible power the Old Gods granted him. He felt sick again, his stomach churning. Calia gripped his plates and bit her lip as she watched Deathwing melt from his own fire. Then, the body of the dragon cooled, becoming nothing more than harden, black, basalt on the ground. Some parts still cracked with glowing fissures, but all if it did not move. It still retained some form of a draconic shape, but that was all that was left of Deathwing.

Neltharion fell to his belly, gasping as he shook from head to toe. Calia looked own at him, touching his plates.

"You okay?" she asked.

"I don't know what's worse..." he began. "Seeing me impaled on Wyrmrest or seeing what would happen to me if I continued on being Deathwing...melting away to...that..."

"At least you saw what would become of you," she said. "If you let Deathwing win."

"I have two deaths, Calia," began Neltharion. "One is the death where I am impaled, and I'm impaled because I came to Alexstrasza's aid. The other is this...either way...I loose. I can't stop the Hour of Twilight no matter if I'm good or evil."

"Don't say that," said Calia. "You can't do it alone. We've proven that by defeating Deathwing. We couldn't do it alone. I couldn't defeat him alone, and something tells me neither could you."

"You're right," said Neltharion. "If it kills me, I have to keep trying. That is what I was created for, that is why I am here. I just...can't do it alone...I don't have my mates, and I wonder if I even have the backing of my flight anymore. I can't expect Alex or Ysera to aid me in this, they have to fight it in their own ways. Nozdormu and Kalecgos has to do it on their own as well."

"I have no one too," said Calia. "I have my job at SI:7, but mostly I'm alone. I could use some company."

Neltharion turned back to her, his green eyes glinting in the glow of the Emerald Dream.

"Partners?" Calia asked.

"What about you can't let go of everything that I did?" Neltharion asked.

"I'm not asking you to go out on a date and then we find an inn and have sex!" Calia said, slapping his plates.

"Good, because I'm not asking that either," said Neltharion.

"You were thinking it!" Calia said.

Neltharion rumbled: "In admittance, I can't help it. In some strange way out of circumstance, you are now my..." he dipped his head and murmured: "Prime Consort..."

"I'm your what?" she asked.

"My Prime Consort..." he repeated in the low murmur.

"What, what?" Calia leaned in, cupping her hand to her ear.

"You are my Prime Consort!" Neltharion bellowed. "You happy, I said it!"

"He said it!" called a voice from below. "It's official now! Oh wait until I tell Alexstrasza! I just can't wait!"

Neltharion looked down to see Ysera in her Night Elf form jumping for joy.

"Ysera..." said Neltharion.

"Oh, you can't take it back, big brother!" said Ysera. "You finally found a new Prime Consort, one who will care for you and..."

"No..." said Neltharion, holding up a claw to silence her. "Calia, when this is over, we'll get that divorce."

Calia nodded: "I think that's best. But until them...I'm a what?"

"You're the Prime Consort..." said Neltharion. "Since my last Prime is dead and all my other consorts are dead and you are currently mated to an Aspect because of that one particular night and we having a child and all...you're my Prime now. Technically."

"I'm happy with that," said Calia just as they started off, leaving a pouting Ysera on the hill. "Until the divorce."

"For the divorce," Neltharion agreed.

"But, but you two can't break up!" Ysera called. "You can't. You two really do love each other. You just don't see it yet."

"Keep dreaming, Dreamer," called Calia, waving from the back of Neltharion.

Ysera kicked up a bit of dust and crossed her arms in frustration.

"Well, this dream didn't come true," she said. Then she looked around and smile mischievously. "That doesn't mean I can't try again. When you don't succeed, try, try again!"

0

Neltharion and Calia both awoke, holding their heads and shaking them simultaneously. The Black Aspect rumbled and rose up onto all fours giving his whole body a decent stretch, fanning his wings. Calia rose up as well, stretching her arms out and yawned. She looked up at the massively built Black Dragon who thumped the ground with a forepaw and slammed his tail into a group of trees. Neltharion moved his jaw around, popping it. He leaned down and grabbed the lower edge of his massive metallic brace, jerking it slightly to make sure it was still securely attached to his lower jaw. He recalled what he did to Deathwing and he thought the same may have happened to him now that he was awoke. His jaw was still attached, all the screws and bolts were in place. He then shook his spine, the adamantine plates on his back clashed together. The plates riveted to the leading digit of his wings clanked a bit when the tips scraped the ground. Then, he blinked the sleep out of both eyes. He pulled on the leather straps of the harness still attached around his neck. They had gotten tighter since the storm.

Calia was scratching her head, blinking the sleep from her eyes as well. Her hair was in a mess, flipped to one side from where she slept on Neltharion's neck. Neltharion looked down at her and deeply chuckled, noticing her hair.

"What?" she asked.

"Well, doesn't my beautiful consort...look absolutely lovely this morning?" he asked, craning his head down to get a better look at her.

"You're just gonna eat that all up, aren't you?" Calia asked. "Come to realize I'm your...I can't even say it, it's so..."

"Ridiculous?" Neltharion asked. "I think after that dream we had last night together...me calling you my Prime Consort is the least ridiculous thing. After all, you had to kiss your...handsome prince to awaken him...just like in the fairytales!"

He leaned back onto his haunches, placing his claws together and pressing his lips together, making kissing noises at Calia.

"Most ass backwards dream I've ever had," she said. "Saving the monster from the monster."

She walked over to a tide pool and looked down at her reflection.

"Oh, you ass!" she called. "I should shoot out that other eye!"

"Go right ahead, my love," Neltharion said, chuckling at her. "It'll just heal right back!"

"Stop it," she said. "Don't call me 'your love'."

"Oh, Calia," rumbled the Earth Aspect. He leaned his body all the way down, curling his neck towards her. "I'm just joking with you. Since we're on good terms now. I figured a little joke between friends was alright."

"Right," said Calia. "But friends. Nothing more. And I call the shots." She poked her finger at his snout. "You got that?"

"You call the shots," said Neltharion. "I got it. What's next, boss?"

"Well, since we've had our chat and an interesting dream," said Calia. "More like nightmare..."

"Odd dream," said Neltharion.

"Well, we should return to Theramore," she said. "By this time, I'm sure Jaina thinks you kidnapped me."

"Now that you mentioned it," said Neltharion. "She probably has given my...reputation as Deathwing."

"Well, let's go," said Calia, climbing up around Neltharion's neck and seating herself between his wings. She strapped herself to the harness. "I just hope this thing holds up. We did get it wet. And leather doesn't do so well when it gets wet."

"It probably needs to be oiled after this," said Neltharion. "Best do that before we are sent on our assignment. I don't want my Prime Consort falling off!"

"Stop it!" Calia called, shaking her finger at the laughing dragon. "Stop it! I mean it, or so help me, I will be kicking you in the head all the way to Uldum."

"Yes, ma'am," said Neltharion, spreading his wings and launching himself into the air. Calia felt that familiar jerk again and held on tightly. She leaned forward and squinted her eyes against the wind. She knew perhaps when she got back to Theramore, she was going to ask for a pair of goggles to wear for the flight down to Uldum. Calia looked down at the Black Dragon's head and watched as he concentrated on his flying. She could not help but to think back to what Deathwing said in the dream. The feelings she had for him those years ago was not really caused by Deathwing, but were already there in the first place. Her emotions for Neltharion also came from the trapped personality, his longing to latch onto her because she was the only thing he could see clearly. It was strange that such a powerful creature would feel so helpless and want to latch onto something just to have some form of comfort. She let go of the straps with one hand and placed it upon the adamantine plates. Without realizing, she slowly patted the plate she rode upon. Whether or not Neltharion felt what she was doing, he gave no sign. Calia shook her head and withdrew her hand. He wanted her to comfort him, he longed for it during that time. Now, it was different. She did not know how she could comfort him or whether or not she wanted to. That dream just confused her more.

Neltharion banked his wings off seeing Theramore Isle come into view. Already, the guards were out, bells were ringing upon his arrival. They were worried of course more for Calia's sake than his. Jaina swiftly came outside when the massive Black Dragon slowly landed in the middle of town, kicking up dust with wind coming off of his wings. He quietly settled himself down, lowering his body for Calia to get off. Immediately, the workers came to unhook the straps from Neltharion's neck, removing the uncomfortable harness from him.

"Where were you two?" Jaina asked.

"We got caught in the storm," said Calia. "And I didn't want to fly back in it, so we settled down on one of the islands near by and slept there."

"You nearly gave us all heart attacks," said Jaina. She turned to Neltharion. "And you...for a moment I thought you just flew off..."

"Abandon this important trip?" Neltharion asked. "That is something Deathwing would do if he sees no interest for himself to pursue. But not me. That facility has a device in there that could very well end the very life we take for granted and I will not allow that to happen." He glanced down at Calia. "Agent Hastings was with me the entire time. I was supervised, Lady Proudmoore. You have no need of worry."

"Indeed," said Jaina. "And here I thought you probably just killed her and flew off, or flew off without her after dropping her off somewhere."

"What do you take me for?" Neltharion asked. "I realize my reputation proceeds me because of the actions performed by Deathwing inside my body, but you have to trust that I would do nothing of the sort."

"Lady Proudmoore," began Calia. "I trust him."

"You?" Jaina asked, placing her hands on her hips. "Really? That's a first."

"I figured I better learn how to trust him given that I will be placing my life in his...claws...no doubt a few times on this trip," said Calia. She shrugged. "It couldn't hurt."

"Alright," said Jaina. "Whatever damage the water did to the harness, we will fix and it is probably better we also seal it so that it won't get so waterlogged."

"There is something else," said Jaina. "I wouldn't mind a pair of goggles. He flies really fast."

Jaina let loose a laugh: "Get any bugs in your eyes up there?"

"Yeah, about that too..." said Calia. "Maybe something to cove my face. And something that would give me some better warmth. He may be warm, but it's a bit cold up there with the wind and all."

"Right," said Jaina.

Calia looked over her shoulder just as she watched several workers begin to pile up supplies such as a small tent and sleeping bag all bundled up and tied near Neltharion's feet. Some ammunition and food as well as water was also piled up. The workers came out with the oiled up harness and began to tie it back around the dragon's neck again. They hoisted up the supplies to Neltharion's neck, tying them to the belts going down his back. The Aspect did not even utter a single word about being turned into a pack animal, though he was thinking it.

"Tell me, who do we meet in Uldum to get us near the site?" asked Calia.

"From the reports, there happens to be caravan going in and out of Uldum on a regular bases," said Jaina. "Though, sometimes it is ambushed. There is an archeologist there, a man named Harrison Jones."

"That name sounds familiar," said Calia.

"He's been known to get himself into a bit of trouble while treasure hunting in Zul'Aman," said Jaina. "He will get you inside, but watch out for him...sometimes he's out to make more than a name for himself in the annals of history."

"I get it," said Calia.

"There is something I've been meaning to mention," said Jaina. "Something I've noticed about Neltharion." She slowly approached the Aspect. "Neltharion, can I talk to you for a moment?"

"What is it?" he asked, turning his head to her.

"I've noticed that not once have you attempted to transform into a human form," she said. "If you intend to sneak into Uldum, you'll need a mortal disguise."

"I...uh...well...um..." Neltharion began, dipping his head down. "How can I put this? I...can't now."

"What do you mean you can't," she asked.

"I mean, I can't."

"Can you tell me why?" she asked.

Neltharion sighed: "I can show you why..."

He stood still, commanding his form to begin to shrink. At first, he was about to shrink down into a smaller version of his dragon form, but then, his massive form began to shift. Wings appeared to withdraw at first, but then began to stretch out to odd proportions. His head inflated and then shrank. His flank flattened, deflating like a ballon. For a moment, there was a human hand on his left arm instead of a dragon's claw, and then it shifted into a troll's hand, and then the clawed hand of a demon. Then, it returned back to his dragon claw. Neltharion slowly shifted back to his true form and size, shaking his head several times. Both Calia and Jaina looked on with horror upon their faces. He merely turned to them and took in a deep breath.

"I can't," he said, however, the attempt left a momentary side-effect. His voice sounded like it was put through a helium balloon. Neltharion turned to the two human women who then started to laugh and then squeaked. "It's not funny!"

"He sound like a gnome!" Jaina said.

"Oh, that is hilarious," Calia said.

"You would think it's funny," said Neltharion, his voice continuing to have its high pitched squeak.

"Oh, honey," said Calia. "I'm sure it'll go away..."

The Black Dragon cleared his throat and it returned to its normal, deep rumble.

"Why, why did you...do all that?" Calia asked. "It looked painful."

"When some of the powers of the Old Gods left me," Neltharion began. "Some of my own powers were a little...corrupted. Including the convenient ability to change my shape. I can change my size though."

"To how small?" Calia asked.

"I haven't tried going any smaller than a horse," he said. "I suppose I could change to the size of a whelpling if needed."

"Oh, how cute!" Calia said with a laugh. "And then, I can just cradle you in my arms."

"And treat me like a little baby," Neltharion scoffed. "Bottle and everything."

"Let's do that when we get to Uldum," said Calia.

"No!" he bellowed. "I'm mot a baby!"

"Well, you'll have to if we want to get into Uldum undetected," said Calia. "Besides, if you agree to it, I'll let you drink all the liquor you want on the trip."

Neltharion sighed, letting loose a low growl in frustration.

"Fine."

"Did anything happen on that island that I'm not aware of?" Jaina asked.

"What?" Calia asked. "No. We rested, that was all. We did...have a talk."

"A talk..." began Jaina looking up at Neltharion with some suspicion. "And what else, Earth-Warder?"

"Nothing!" said Neltharion. "We talked and that was it."

"We needed to set some things straight before we went off to Uldum," said Calia. "It was just best to get that out of the way first. You want us to work together, and now...we are going to."

"Ah," said Jaina. "Well, I hope you enjoyed sleeping together outside because you will be doing a lot of it if you can't find an inn."

Calia looked over at the pile of supplies being strapped the Earth Aspect. She waved to one of the workers.

"Could you do me a favor and pack some ale along too?" she asked.

"Yes, ma'am," said the worker.

"No," said Jaina. "Don't do that. Calia, you don't need to be flying around on an intoxicated dragon."

"It's alright," said Calia. "I've figured out a way to fix this. And bring some coffee beans too and some filters!"

"Yes, ma'am," said the worker as he went into the supply store for the ale and coffee.

"Ale and coffee?" Neltharion asked.

"The ale is for the night," said Calia. "I saw what happens when you don't have it. So, you're getting it. But I don't want an hungover dragon in the mornings, so, you're drinking coffee to perk you up." She gave a grin and looked back at Jaina. "I'm gonna kick start his engine."

She walked up to Neltharion and placed a hand upon the side of his foreleg. A gnome came out and handed her a riding jacket and a pair of leather chaps as well as a pair of goggles. She took them and put them on, fastening the buckles up her legs. She put the goggles up on her head and looked to find Neltharion extending out his foreleg for her to start climbing on. Calia made her way up to his shoulders, pulling herself upon the adamantine plates. She strapped herself to the harness and pulled down the goggles.

"Go find Harrison Jones," said Jaina. "And be careful. If the reports are true, those black dragons aren't going to be happy to see Neltharion there. And I know the twilight dragons will be even less happy."

"Wonderful, rejected by both flights," Neltharion sighed, lowering his head.

"Well, you kinda screwed a few of them over," said Calia. The Black Dragon looked back at her. "Just saying."

"I'm never living the end of this," he said.

"Good luck!" said Jaina.

"Thank you," said Calia. "Okay, Neltharion...let's go."

The Dragon Aspect stood there, still as a rock, his head held high. He cleared his throat.

"What now?" Calia asked.

"You still didn't say 'please'," he said.

"For crying out loud!" Calia shouted, kicking him on one of the plates. "Please! Please go! Up! Please, now!"

"Better," said Neltharion. He extended his wings and leapt powerfully into the air.

Jaina watched just as the massive Black Dragon banked towards the south, disappearing in the haze of the morning sky.

"You two are going to need all the luck you can get," she said as an after though. "I just hope Thrall was right about the Black Aspect. I hope Deathwing really is gone for good. Or else, we are willingly helping to lead him straight to that device."


	9. IX

**IX**

His eyes narrowed as he spied the troopers loading up the crates. Their stench filled the dusty air and his nose wrinkled at the smell of it. Goblins. He hated them. However, for the duty of his master, he had no choice but to work with one of them. All for the cause. He ran a frustrated, thick hand through his black locks and frowned. His eyes flashed as he watched them move their equipment around. These mercenaries were suited up with the shaky, goblin technology. They held specialized semi-automatic weapons, magazine loaded and carried around rocket launchers. He gave a stretch and yawned, watching as the humans loaded the last of the equipment. Myzerian walked over to the foot of the Obelisk of the Moon and leaned against it. This was all for the plan, all for his great and glorious father.

He began to think about his father, finding it strange that he had not heard from him in his mind. It is possible that Deathwing may be busy with other things. However, he reported to the Destroyer on how they were going, only to find nothing, not even a confirmation from the Aspect of Death. He suspected something had happened. However, Myzerian decided not to fail his father, knowing that all will soon be well. Deathwing will have his device.

Myzerian looked on to the humans again. These weak mortals were necessary in Deathwing's plans. But that was all they were, weak. When the plan comes to fruition, not even they will matter. Deathwing's plan, same as always. He was going to make Azeroth bow before him even if he has to destroy most of it to do so. His rage cannot be sated. The glorious Black Dragon had been betrayed by lesser beings who dared call themselves his equals.

They were not.

They were only fit to either serve Deathwing or die.

And if anyone of them did not wish to serve, Myzerian would be happy to deliver their deaths to them personally.

He was after all one of Deathwing's most trusted lieutenants. It was because he was his son. Myzerian came directly from Deathwing's own eggs laid by his marred mother Sintharia after their painful night of passionate mating. At least that was Deathwing's story. The monstrous, demonic dragon was so full of fire that he burned everything he touched, even his own mates. Only Sintharia was worthy enough to survive his lust and be made his Prime Consort.

Now, she was dead, slain by mortals who wanted to halt Deathwing's continual mating with her to produce more black dragons or even twilight dragons.

The twilight dragons.

Myzerian had a suspicion about them as well. He did not care for them despite his father even prizing them over his own flight. How could Deathwing prize these purple-scaled mutants over his own flight? Deathwing only stated it was necessary. He was only doing what his masters told him to. It was all for the glory of the voices, the Masters, the ones who made Deathwing into who he was, a force of fury ad power.

He changed the world. And he will continue to change the world until he remakes it in his own image.

Deathwing had already destroyed half of Azeroth just by emerging out of Deepholm, it was time to destroy the other half.

Myzerian smiled. He was going to share in his father's glory again. The plan will work, the device will be activated and a new world will be created from the ashes of the old.

Deathwing's world.

"Are you sitting zhere, daydreaming again, lizard?" called a heavily accented voice from behind him. "Vhy aren't you vorkink?"

Myzerian leaned up and looked down upon the green-skinned goblin before him. The little goblin had his hands on his hips and he tapped his foot feverishly. He snarled at the goblin.

"Watch your tongue, mortal," he said. "Be happy you have some use to Deathwing or else I would have gobbled you up for your insolence."

"Ja, ja," began the goblin. "Keep talking like zhat and I'll make sure Deassvhink barbecues your hide first if we fail. I'm zhe one running zhis operation here. You? You are here to serve me!"

_Indulge him..._Myzerian thought to himself. "What would you have me do, Commander Schnottz?"

"Patrol zhe area," said Commander Schnottz. "I've heard zhat blasted Dr. Jones fellow is snoopink around where he's not supposed to."

"He doesn't have the information he needs to even get close to where we are," said Myzerian.

Schnottz shook his head and then with one finger, motioned for the black dragon to lean down closer to him. Myzerian did so, his glowing eyes fuming at the little goblin. Then, Schnottz got out his riding switch and swatted Myzerian across the face. Myzerian jerked back, feeling his now reddened, pounding cheek.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"Dumkopf!" Schnottz called out. "Do you take me for an idiot? The one zhing I hate about you dragons is your overconfidence! Now, fly over zhere and begin your patrol, you fat, lazy, smelly iguana!"

"Strike me again...goblin..." Myzerian called as he shifted into his dragon form. "And I'll..."

"You vhat, scheissekopf?" asked Schnottz, completely unfazed by the fact he was now talking to a black dragon several times his size. "I have men loyal to me that can take you down in an instant with zheir rockets. Unless you vant to return to Deassvink full of holes, I suggest you be a good lizard and go. Schnell!"

Myzerian heard the sound of several guns clicking as they took aim at his massive, black form. The black dragon snorted and then launched into the air, flying off to get to his patrolling. Once more, Myzerian sighed as he slowly flapped his wings over the sandy wasteland of Uldum. Before him were sun-bleached spires and pyramids built long before the first sentient life developed on this land. Symbols of scarabs dotted the flanks of the pyramids as ancient writings lost for ages lined their sides. Statues of sphinxes in the form of the cat-like centaurs known as the tol'vir decorated the ground. These creatures were once created by the mighty Titans to protect this ancient city and its secrets. Now, half of their kind work for Deathwing. Myzerian flew over the land of Uldum, spying the city belonging to the Neferset Tribe.

With the power granted to Deathwing by N'Zoth, the one who made Neltharion into Deathwing, the Neferset Tribe was granted the ability to shirk off the Curse of the Flesh and return to the stone forms of their ancestors. Deathwing can make anything happen. However, what was not happening was contact. Myzerian arched his brow in worry. Why was there no contact from Deathwing? He heard that the Aspect of Death had flown to Wyrmrest to finally settle things with his old nemesis, the Life-Binder herself Alexstrasza, but after that, no word. Had Deathwing fallen?

Myzerian looked about him as he passed over Neferset City. The Neferset tol'vir was still going about their usual rituals as they should. There was no indication that anything has changed. Nothing seemed out of place. So, why has Deathwing not made himself known after the fight? Where was he?

His mind went to the other remaining members of his flight. There were few of them left, so very few. They wondered if Deathwing truly cared about them. He could connect to them, speak to them through their link that they all shared. Because of that, he knew he was not alone in his thoughts. They all wondered where Deathwing was. They were all so blindly devoted to him and to his cause that now his absence has sent them into a stoop of uncertainty. He could sense the restlessness of females and the baffled males. Still, no Deathwing. The moment he could no longer sense the maddened mind of the Aspect of Death, commanding his movements in Uldum, he felt his own mind in some ways return to him. The two other black dragons in the service of Commander Schnottz, he could sense, also had the same feeling. There was something wrong.

Down below him were rolling dunes of sand. He spied several dust devils whirling about along the rim of the dunes, being guided by a strange force. He knew very well about that force. They were elementals unleashed upon this land. There was still a seat of defiance among the tol'vir. The Ramkahen Tribe to the north did not want to follow in the ways of their Neferset brethren and join Deathwing's glory. And so, Deathwing commanded Al'Akir, the Elemental Lord of Air to attack them with dust storms and horrible winds. The winds picked up the sand and nearly half buried a part of their tribal lands. If the Ramkahen Tribe continue to be a problem, Myzerian knew that soon they will be nothing more than dust in the wind.

From what he heard from various sources, the Neferset have captured a prince of theirs in efforts to make the Ramkahen bow before Deathwing. They held him in the Lost City and ordered the sand pigmies to keep watch over them. The Neferset have even so kindly even captured many travelers who even dared to venture into the gates of Uldum and set them to work as slaves. All for the glory of their new and gracious Lord Deathwing.

Myzerian turned his head slightly to find the two other black dragons beating their wings powerfully to catch up to him. These two dragons were not direct children of Deathwing like he was, but they were in good relation, only merely being descendants of the mighty Black himself. The first black to approach him was Siderion, called Sid, a younger black dragon who followed Myzerian upon his command when they were ordered to Uldum to assist the goblin and his mercenaries. The second black dragon, Jethrian, came to the call from Grim Batol itself. Jet, as he was sometimes called, had seen what all went on there, watching as the last of the black dragon's broodmother and Prime Consort Sintharia laid her eggs constantly for her master's will. And when she was done, she called him back for another mating session to produce another clutch. To Jet, it was just almost saddening to see Sintharia be reduced to that. However, he knew what was becoming of those black dragon eggs after she laid them. And he told Myzerian. Instead of new young black whelps being born, they were mutated into twilight dragons automatically. It almost seemed like Deathwing systematically killing off his own flight in favor of these new creations. They did not act like the black dragons, they did not solely obey Deathwing, they only obeyed the Old Gods and their whispers. Something about that disturbed Myzerian. Should they not obey Deathwing as well? He was their father after all. They owe their lives to him.

Myzerian turned his head to Sid, who nodded respectfully to Deathwing's lieutenant.

"Any word from our great Lord Deathwing?" Myzerian asked.

"I have not heard any," said Sid.

"Neither have I," said Jet. "It is still so quiet."

"Perhaps the fight with Alexstrasza still rages on," said Sid.

"For a week?" asked Myzerian. He shook his head. "Highly doubtful."

"Sintharia is dead," said Jet. "Onyxia and Nefarian are dead. Deathwing has gone missing. What all are we to do?"

"Do we abandon the mission to go looking for him?" asked Jet. "I can fly to Wyrmrest right now and..."

"And get yourself killed by the Red Dragonflight?" asked Myzerian. "No, Jet. We stick to the plan. As much as it pains me, we stay here and continue on assisting Commander Schnottz."

Jet's red eyes narrowed in deep thought as he slowly flew beside Myzerian. Sid only nodded in agreement. Then, Jet looked back at the slightly larger black dragon leader, his eyes gave a flash of an idea.

"Perhaps if we combine our energies, we can find Deathwing together," he said.

"Perhaps that may work," said Myzerian. He spied a sand dune and motioned for it. "Land over there."

The three black dragons backwinged as they landed upon the dune. With their feet planted firmly upon the ground, the sand itself acting as a conduit for their own powers and connection to the earth itself, the closed their eyes. Myzerian focused Sid and Jet's powers to his own and slowly began to breathe in and out. He heard the rustling of the sand, the call of the wind blowing across the dunes. Then, he heard the song itself ring into his ears. The song of the earth. Though the Black Dragonflight had given up their stewardship to protect the earth of Azeroth, they were still very much connected to it. However, as he began to concentrate upon the dunes, he noticed a peculiar feeling. There was a beating of a heart and it was not his own. The heart was massive. It filled him an emotion he was not accustomed to nor ready for. There was something wrong, something deeply wrong.

Azeroth.

He heard the Heart of Azeroth.

Never before had he heard the sound of Azeroth's heart beat so loudly. It was beating with joy, its song harmonious. The song filled Myzerian's very being and he felt like celebrating. A smile appeared upon his face, but it was not one of malice. There was joy, strange joy. He had never felt joy before. Why was he feeling joy?

Jet and Sid were also feeling this strange emotion coming from the ground. They wanted to celebrate with it and they did not know why.

_Keep focused!_ Myzerian commanded them when he sensed they were getting lost in the strange and new emotion. However, he heard them laugh. There was no madness in the Heart of Azeroth anymore, only joy.

Freedom.

Then, there was sadness. True, unfathomable sadness. The earth was happy that it was freed, but it was sad. Why, Myzerian could not comprehend, but he knew it was there. Myzerian concentrated harder upon the source of this strange emotion. It was the Heart of Azeroth, but it came from somewhere. The Heart of Azeroth, what was the Heart of Azeroth. The heart that beat so loudly, so proudly, so strong. It was no longer hindered, no longer weakened. It was there, as loudly as can be.

Myzerian reached out for it in his mind, trying to find the answers. The heart continued to beat inside his mind. He breathed slowly. Then, the beating of the heart revealed a pair of glistening, emerald green eyes. His vision pulled out and it revealed a massive black dragon with a body many times larger than his, and also stronger. On the body of the black dragon were plates, but there were not as many as there used to be. The chest was not sealed in plates as it used to be and lava no longer dripped from open tears in the scales. However, the dragon was still overly massive, bloated with muscle and power as he should be. The thing that stuck out the most was the metallic bracer on his lower jaw. There was a smile on the black dragon's face, but also one not of malice or hatred. The smile was soft, hopeful, but also joyful.

_It cannot be..._

The ground below him sang with joy as he focused upon the black dragon before him. There was no madness in this dragon's mind. Inside the dragon's mind, there was a desire to protect the world, to care for it, nurture it. Altruism, true altruism came from the black dragon. But this dragon, he was...

_Deathwing!_

_No...not Deathwing..._

Myzerian gasped and the link was broken. Sid and Jet opened their eyes and they breathed heavily.

"It can't be," said Myzerian. "It's not possible."

"We've been calling out for Deathwing," said Sid. "But Deathwing did not answer..."

"Because Deathwing is no longer his name," said Jet.

Myzerian shook his head again, turning away from the other two dragons.

"Not possible!" he said. "My father...it's not possible! How could it be possible?"

"The Earth-Warder," said Jet. "He has returned!"

"No!" Myzerian bellowed. "He is the Destroyer! No...Neltharion is dead! He died when the madness took him! Deathwing is all that is left of Neltharion!"

"But..." began Sid. "Neltharion...he is our leader. Our true leader."

"There is no Neltharion!" said Myzerian. "Only Deathwing! This changes nothing. We still continue on with the plan."

"What about Schnottz?" asked Sid.

"I will deal with Schnottz," said Myzerian. "But this changes nothing at all. If Deathwing will not aid in our conquest, then we will do it without him. Return back to Schnottz's Landing."

"Yes, sir," said Jet.

"Of course," said Sid.

_Betrayed..._thought Myzerian. _I have been betrayed by my own father! Damn you, Deathwing! How could you have grown so weak? What did Alexstrasza do to you? What has she done? When we are finished here, I will personally kill the Life-Binder myself for corrupting you! Right after I end your misery. Then, I will be the new Aspect of the Black Dragonflight. And I will not let my flight fail as you have._

He gave one last feel to the ground, taking note where that beating sound was coming from. It was getting closer.

_He's coming here,_ though Myzerian. _The old fool, now freed from the madness, is going to stop all that he worked hard to make. Perhaps I should give Al'Akir a small visit to slow my beloved and wonderful father down..._

0

Neltharion awoke at the sound of a strange voice entering his mind. It was not the Old Gods this time, nor Ysera. No, this was a new voice. He heard that voice before. He knew that voice from somewhere. Neltharion breathed slowly, trying to slow his heart down. He saw a face looking at him from his dreams, the face of a black dragon. The face seemed fuzzy for a moment, as if the connection itself was a little off. However, that face was searching for him, has been searching for him. He saw a thousand faces and heard a thousand voices call out to him in desperation. They seemed aimless, wanting, longing for something to latch onto. But it was not his name they called, it was Deathwing's. Neltharion let loose a growl in frustration and wagged his head. He blinked away his sleep and reached up to feel around the harness he wore around his neck. He forgot to take it off before he went to sleep. He was just so tired last night from the nonstop flight Calia forced him to make. She did not want to waste any time and he understood why. He agreed, but even he could only be pushed so far before his wings gave out. He had to rest and Calia was having trouble staying awake on his back. So, they rested in the savannah of the Southern Barrens. Already the Southern Barrens were giving away to a vast desert. This was the desert of Uldum. For the longest time, this place was hidden from the eyes of mortal men, but Neltharion knew of its existence since his creation. This was the land where the Titans held some of their most prized base of operations. Here is where it all began, as some believed. Khaz'goroth, his own Titan, was partially responsible for much of its construction and for good reason. The device that could reformat the world was a thing of his own design. For all that Neltharion knew, it was a failsafe just in case things got too out of control with the Old Gods. This device could very well destroy them in the process should their infection threaten the world. This device was a sterilization mechanism that came deep to even the sub-atomic level. Once the world was sterilized, new life can begin again, this time without the Old God's whispers.

However, the life that came before, it would die. Though the idea of ridding Azeroth completely of its infestation of the Old Gods seemed good, it was not worth the price of the billions of lives that already existed. There had to be another way in getting rid of the Old Gods without destroying the life on Azeroth. Neltharion had to find that way. That was his duty. The world was infested, his world was infested and it was the fault of those Old Gods. They made him become Deathwing, they destroyed his life with their whispers, and they now wish to destroy all that he holds dear again.

He was more determined than ever to get to Uldum.

How dare the Old Gods twist his love and concern for the stability of the world of Azeroth to mean ridding the world of its precious creatures!

Neltharion looked down at the tent that Calia rested in. His body curled protectively around it.

Precious creatures like Calia...they needed his protection most of all.

He smiled sweetly at the tent. Neltharion leaned down to the canvas and nudged his massive snout through the opening. Tilting his head ever so slightly, he gripped the covers that laid upon Calia and he slowly pulled them off of her.

Calia shivered, feeling the cool morning air rush into her tent as the covers were swept away from her. She opened her eyes and leaned up.

"NELTHARION!" she screamed shrilly.

Neltharion chuckled deeply, the covers still dangling from his teeth. Calia shivered violently, only wearing her leather underwear to sleep in. She watched as the black dragon dropped the covers in front of her. Swiftly snatching them up, she wrapped herself in the blanket and continued to fume at the Aspect of Earth.

"You!" she cried. "You bastard!"

"Did that wake you up?" Neltharion asked. "Not like I haven't seen you nearly naked before, my love."

"Don't call me that!" Calia said, rushing up to his foreclaw to give it a kick.

"Oh, Calia, don't be so mean to your husband!" Neltharion called. "I'll file for domestic abuse with King Varian."

Calia let loose a maddened wail and kicked up the dusty ground.

"I hope you're enjoying you're fun, my dear hubby-wubby..." she sneered at him. "I should make you walk instead of fly."

"But we need to get to Uldum as soon as we can, Calia," said Neltharion. "I...had another odd dream last night."

"Oh, wonderful!" said Calia. "When are you not having bad dreams? When do you not have nightmares? The tentacle monsters are out to get you! Those damned tentacle monsters! If I could, I would hunt every single one of them down and serve them up as calamari!"

"Mmmm...crunchy," said Neltharion. He took out a barrel of ale and began to drink it, reclining back and watching her getting dressed. "You can start with N'Zoth. He's the ugly bastard that created Deathwing. If you want to really point fingers as who is responsible for my madness and making me into nothing more than a puppet...that would be him."

"So, it's not just all of them, it's just that guy," said Calia. "At least I have a name! Fine, I'll go find him first." She watched him take another sip of his ale. "And put that away! I don't want you drunk while flying."

Neltharion sighed and placed the top back on the barrel. He gave a small hiccup and the ground trembled.

"Damn it!" Calia called. "What did I say?"

"Sorry," said Neltharion. "But better out than in, right?"

Calia shook her head and grumbled something under her breath. Neltharion chuckled at his flustered wife. He tilted his head to get a better look at her. She looked so lovely when she was angry.

"Now, why are you having nightmares again?" asked Calia, deciding to focus back on the subject at hand. "You had some of that liquor before you went to bed."

"Not a nightmare," he said. "Someone is trying to contact me. Actually a bunch of people are trying to contact me. It's my...flight."

"The other black dragons?" asked Calia. "What do they want?"

"They're asking for Deathwing," said Neltharion. "They're asking him...me...what the next plan was. One particular voice is coming in strong, a black dragon in Uldum. He's been looking for me for a while. I've been blocking them out lately because I don't know how to tell them about not being Deathwing anymore. I don't know who I can trust among them. Are they still under the influence of N'Zoth and the other Old Gods?"

"One way to find out," said Calia. "We have to go to Uldum and confront them. How many black dragons did you send to Uldum with Schnottz?"

"At least three..." he replied, rising up. "That is what I managed to sense last night during the dream. They know I'm coming here. I sense confusion. They don't know what to expect. I sense a lot of confusion from Uldum. Calia, I recall a lot of things going on there. Deathwing's orders were not only to find the device, but to gain allies that live in Uldum." Neltharion paused for a moment, squinting his eyes as he tried to remember just what Deathwing's plans were. "The memory is still a little fuzzy. I can't quite remember what all I ordered...something about cat people."

"Cat people?" asked Calia, placing her hands on her hips. "Okay. What else can I expect there?"

Neltharion tried to reply, but them slumped his shoulders, wagging his head.

"I can't remember," he replied lowly.

"Alright," said Calia. "The sooner we get there, the faster we can figure all of this out. I suppose we'll take it one at a time."

She began to pack up the rest of the tent and placed a piece of beef jerky in her mouth. Tying on the belt around her waist, she began to climb up Neltharion's foreleg, still chewing on the jerky. Calia tied the tent onto the harness and settled herself between his wings, shifting herself around atop the adamantine plates. She snapped the straps together and then felt the massive Black Dragon rise to his feet again. Neltharion looked back behind him to make sure she was settled in properly.

"Well," he began. "All set?"

"Yeah," she replied. "Strapped in. Let's go." Calia paused and took in a deep breath. "Please..."

Neltharion chuckled once more and took off. His wings flapped powerfully and he swiftly gained altitude. The sun was beginning to rise, turing the sky a fiery, golden orange on the horizon. Calia leaned down across his neck, bracing herself against it. The wind around them felt still a bit chilly to her face despite it being protected by the riding gear she wore. She took note that perhaps this was the first time anyone really made true riding gear for a flying mount. She needed it in order to ride upon the back of the mighty Black Dragon Aspect. He flew so fast, so powerfully, so gracefully. Calia looked all around her, noticing just how small she was compared to him. She was nothing more than a speck on his back. To put into perspective, she realized she was riding on probably the largest dragon on Azeroth. He had to be so huge, he carried the weight of the entire planet upon his back. Such were the duties of the Earth-Warder. Since his time in service of the Old Gods, he had gotten so much larger than ever before. However, being the largest did not make him the one in charge. That position was Alexstrasza's alone.

The enormous wings that could block out even the sun, spread out before her as he caught a thermal. The metallic plating flashed gold in the sun. Calia noticed his scales sparkling as well, glinting like black diamonds. It made sense for him to glisten like that, such was the symbol of his connection to the earth. The braided mutton chops flapped in the wind.

Calia looked ahead between the Black Aspect's massive horns. At first, she thought she saw a mirage on the horizon. The wind itself seemed gain speed around her. Neltharion shifted slightly, compensating for the change in the wind. The mirage before them fluctuated. Calia heard the massive dragon growl a warning.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "What is that?"

"Whatever it is, it's heading for us!" said Neltharion, tilting his head towards her so she could hear his voice. "I'm going to fly higher. Hang on!"

Just then, she felt the dragon shoot upwards, beating his wings swiftly as he gained altitude. She braced herself once more upon his back, holding tightly as he climbed higher and higher. As he climbed, Calia looked down to see what the mirage was. It was a sand storm swiftly rolling across the dunes. Neltharion leveled out above the storm keeping a safe distance between it and himself.

"There," he said. "That's better. Sand storm. Must happen a lot here. It's a desert after all."

"Right," said Calia. "Glad we can fly over it."

"Yep," said Neltharion. His keen ears picked up a strange sound in the wind itself. The wind in the sands storm howled and he heard it shift. Looking down, he noticed the sandstorm swirl below him. Something did not seem quite right with the storm itself. Then, he saw the storm's swirling rise above the bank of dust below him. The dust rose up from the bank, forming into a hand. Neltharion's eyes widened and he flapped his wings faster. The hand reached out for him as he gained his distance between it. Then, the hand snatched his tail and pulled him down into the sandstorm itself.

"Calia, hang on!" he bellowed.

"What's happening?" Calia asked as the Black Dragon lowered into the sandstorm itself.

"This isn't an ordinary sandstorm!" Neltharion replied. His wings flailed about as he descended down into the storm itself. "I can't right myself. Just hang on, I'm going to land!"

The sand blocked out his vision, irritating his eyes. He slowly lowered himself, still flailing about as he attempted a soft landing upon the sand itself. His claws lashed out, feeling around for the ground. Then, as soon as he felt it, he let himself drop, folding up his wings. Neltharion knelt down, bracing himself against the storm. He fanned one wing, shielding his body and Calia with it. Craning his neck to her, he checked to see if she was alright. Calia held onto his plates, her eyes closed inside the goggles.

"Calia?" Neltharion began. "Calia?"

Calia raised her head up to him.

"I think someone knows we're coming," he said.

"It's coming from Uldum?" she asked.

"Yes," he said. His eyes widened when he began to realize just who was making this sandstorm. "Oh no!"

"What?" she asked.

"Al'Akir!" Neltharion called.

"Who?" Calia asked.

"Al'Akir," he said. Neltharion lowered his body down further as the wind and sand continued to beat against his wing. "He's the one causing this. They know...they all know!"

"Know what?"

Neltharion bellowed out, commanding the sand on the ground to obey him. The sand rose up around his body, forming into a wall between him and the sandstorm.

"They know I'm not Deathwing anymore," said Neltharion. He looked up just as his wall of sand began to crumble. "Calia...duck!"

Calia looked up and then closed her eyes, hugging his neck tightly. The wall of sand washed over their bodies like a massive wave, burying both under a newly formed dune. Above the, the sandstorm continued to rage on, only trapping them deeper.


	10. X

**X**

Adarrah raised her hand, calling for the caravan to stop. She slowly dismounted her camel and brushed herself off. She slowly approached a rather large, black, curved shaped object jutting out of the sand. On the surface of the object were metallic plates bolted on top. A few paces over to the left was the tip of a massive bat-like wing with frayed edges. Plates lined the leading edge of the wing itself. Further down, sticking out of a done was the tip of a tail, also covered in plates and ending with a blade at the tip. One of her men came out to inspect the blade, running his hand along the edge.

"Adarrah," he called. "This looks to be made of adamantine."

"Adarrah," said another rider. "There's a claw over here. It's bigger than our wagons."

"There's an animal under the sand," said Adarrah.

"What animal has adamantine plates?" asked a Night Elf traveling with the caravan.

"Budd," began Adarrah. "Check around this creature. See if it's alive."

"It's buried deep," said Bud with a shrug, walking around the enormous claw. He reached up to touch the claw. When his hand touched the pad of the claw, the digits began to wiggle. "Adarrah, it's alive!"

"Adarrah," called the Night Elf. "I hear someone. Over here!"

Adarrah and Bud rushed over to the Night Elf, seeing a human woman's face sticking out of the sand. The woman wiggled her free hands up, calling attention to the other two. The Night Elf leaned down and took the woman's hand and Budd and Adarrah took the other.

"Hang on," said Adarrah. "Okay, Budd, pull up!"

With one heave, all three pulled the woman free from the sand. The woman got to her feet, dusting the sand off of her riding gear. She smiled and nodded to Adarrah and Bud.

"Thanks," she said. "Thought I was going to be stuck there forever. No thanks to _worthless_ over there."

She turned to the massive, black, spike sticking out of the sand. It was obvious, it was this creature's horn. The woman started for it and began to push against it.

"Uh, excuse me," began Adarrah. "Who are you?"

She turned around to Adarrah: "I'm Calia Hastings. And you are?"

"Adarrah. And this is Budd."

"How're you doin'?" asked Bud.

"Nice since you all helped me," said Calia. "Now maybe you can help him." She turned back to the horn. "Get your fat, lazy, butt outta the sand, Nel! Now!"

The claw wiggled again as well as the wing, followed by the tail and the horn. Soon the horn rose out, revealing another horn beside it and then several others. An enormous head was attached to the multiple horns and it shifted around, trying to rise itself out of the sand. Adarrah, Bud, and the other caravan members stepped back, their eyes wide when they saw just who it was that was buried in the sand. It was a massive black dragon with adamantine plates and an adamantine jaw brace. There was only one black dragon who had adamantine plates.

"Deathwing!" Budd called.

"Deathwing!" shouted Adarrah. "That's–that's Deathwing!"

The enormous Black Dragon they knew as Deathwing coughed and sputtered, clearing his throat and snorting the sand out of his nostrils. He sneezed, his hot breath startling the camels.

"Ah!" the Black Dragon called. "There's sand in my ears!"

"Would you get out of the sand?" Calia asked. "Now! Stop playing around."

"Al'Akir really does know how to welcome...someone..." he said, snorting again.

"Out of the sand!" Calia shouted.

Deathwing, or who they thought was Deathwing, growled as he slowly began to jerk on his own body. The massive Black Aspect slowly began to wiggle himself out, flapping the one exposed wing and slinging sand everywhere. Adarrah and Bud continued to watch as who they thought was the Aspect of Death slowly began to rise out of the sandy hole he was in. He swung his tail powerfully, and then gave a flap to his wings the moment he was freed from the sand. He shook the grains off of his scales and let loose a deep bark, another sign of him clearing his throat.

"I...I don't believe it," said Adarrah.

"Deathwing!" called Budd.

"Who called me Deathwing?" the Black Dragon asked. He swung his head around to the caravan of mortals before him, gawking at him with gaping mouths and wide eyes.

"I...I did," said Bud. "Budd...Your Destructiveness..."

"What?" Deathwing asked. "Your Destructiveness? Calia...who are these mortals?"

"I don't know," said Calia. "Who is in charge of this caravan?"

"I am," said Adarrah. "And what do you think you are doing traveling with the Aspect of Death?"

"Funny thing about that," began Calia. "You see, he's not...how do I explain this?"

The Black Dragon wagged his head and sighed: "Everyone seems me as Deathwing...I am not Deathwing. My name is Neltharion."

"Neltharion?" Adarrah asked.

"Yes, Neltharion," he replied. "Not Deathwing. I am the Black Dragon Aspect...the Earth-Warder."

"Didn't know we had an Earth-Warder..." said Budd. "And the only Black Aspect I know of is the Aspect of Death."

"I can only ask to be allowed to prove to you that I am no longer Deathwing," said Neltharion. "I do not seek to render anyone to ashes, nor break any worlds."

"You have no right to trust him," said Calia, her statement causing the Black Dragon's head to lower in shame. "He's not deserved it yet. But if the only thing you can go on is a word, then trust in my words that he won't harm any of you. And if you will leave us be, we will be on our way."

"Alright," began Adarrah. "Suppose we believe this story you're telling us. What are you both doing here?"

"We're heading for Uldum," said Calia. She looked up at Neltharion who nodded.

"Why?" asked Budd.

"There is something important we have to do there," said Neltharion.

Adarrah shook her head and crossed her arms. She looked up at the massive Black Dragon, her eyes narrowed to study him. She read his body movements, the glimmer in his eyes, the shifting of his feet. She was an expert rogue and she knew a liar when she saw one. However, it was hard to read the Aspect of Earth. She heard stories that dragons could full even the most astute assassins. However, she took note of his eyes the most. They did not glow with the rage and hatred she heard Deathwing had. There was a kindness in them, and of course a deep sadness. He felt heavy to her, as heavy as his bloated body made him. His head hung, adding to his sorrowful heaviness. This was not Deathwing.

"A Dragon Aspect just doesn't go to a place without a specific reason," said Adarrah. "Nor does he travel with just an ordinary person without some reason..."

"If you must know," said Calia. "This is a matter of the Alliance. I am from Stormwind and the Earth-Warder is working with me on this case. We're here to meet up with a man named Dr. Harrison Jones, an archeologist from the Alliance who may have discovered something that concerns the safety of the Eastern Kingdoms itself...or even Azeroth. That is why we are here."

"Harrison Jones?" asked Adarrah. "I know him. In fact that is why we are heading for Uldum. I've got some supplies he needs for his dig there."

Calia and Neltharion looked to each other and smiled with some relief. Neltharion let loose a sigh and relaxed his wings, his tail softly patting the ground.

"Oh, thank goodness!" said Calia. "You can lead us to him."

"Not so fast," said Bud, holding out a hand. "For one, we are going to keep an eye on both of you. And for another, if you want us help you, then you must help us."

"What do you need?" Neltharion asked. "I am here to help anyone who needs it."

"Since you're being so generous...um...Aspect," began Budd, walking up to his forepaw. "We've been getting reports that caravans heading into Uldum are being attacked and plundered."

"Yes," said Adarrah. "We need a safe passage into Uldum. And since your dragon friend here is so large...and...rather scary...maybe you can help protect the caravan."

"We can do that," said Calia. She looked back up at Neltharion who gave a simple dip of his head in agreement.

"Alright them," said Adarrah. "Welcome aboard."

Neltharion knelt down, extending his foreleg for Calia to climb up on. Calia shook her head.

"Not this time," she said. "My legs are tired from gripping your neck. Besides, you get up in front. Gotta scare off those looters."

Neltharion rose back up and let loose a frustrated growl. He slowly moved for the front of the caravan as Calia climbed up into a wagon that Adarrah rode in. As soon as everyone was settled in, the caravan started up with a whistle. Neltharion started off, looking behind him as the caravan followed. He raised his tail up, making sure it did not swat at the caravan. A few of the riders road up beside him as he slowly walked across the sand, his feet sinking in slightly. They guided him onward towards Uldum.

They came upon a massive chasm opening up to ancient ruins built out of sand. Tall pillars as high as Neltharion's shoulders jutted out of the rocks. The wind blew sand from the tops.

"Here we are, the Gates of Eternity," said Adarrah. "Alright, let's go in."

Budd whistled out and waved: "Ahoy!"

Neltharion took in a deep breath and slowly entered the gates, his huge feet making enormous cracks in the sandstone tiles along the road into Uldum itself. Calia looked all about, staring up at the magnificent stone pillars. It felt as if she dove into another world itself. Then, something shouted a call from a sandstone building to the left.

"Attack!"

Neltharion reared back and planted his feet, digging his claws into the sandstone. That was when a pigmy leapt upon his head gripping tightly to his snout horn. The Black Dragon bellowed out, extending his wings. Calia and Adarrah, as well as several of the other members of the caravan wagon jumped out just as Neltharion's massive tail slammed down upon it. He shook the pigmy off his face, only for another to leap out, climbing himself upon his horns. Five other pigmies leapt upon his head, hitting him in the eyes with their wooden clubs.

"Die, ugly monster!" the pigmy cried.

"Ugly?" Neltharion asked. He swung his head around again, slamming it into the pillars, knocking them each down one after another. The Black Dragon toppled over and crashed upon one of the ancient buildings.

Calia down below along with Adarrah and Budd were trying their best to fight off the rest of the pigmies just as the Aspect fell. As soon as he was down, the pigmies rushed them with nets.

"Great," said Calia. "Just great."

"Well, your dragon didn't do much..." said Budd.

Calia sighed, curling up in the net: "I know. He's...a little pathetic."

Neltharion rose up again, shaking the stone from his body. He looked over to the people being gathered into the nets. He heard the scraping sounds of the pigmies as they made for him again. The Black Dragon leaned down, growling deeply at them. He allowed a bit of his magma to drip down from his jaws. His lips pulled back across his racks of teeth as smoke appeared from his nostrils.

"Let them go...now..." he growled to them.

"Silence, lizard," said one of the pigmies. "Come with us and they will not be harmed."

Neltharion leaned back up and slumped, giving a nod. He followed them further into the land of Uldum.

They came upon a city deep within Uldum and Neltharion watched as Calia and the others were placed into cages. He looked down to a bunch of pigmies walking up to a centaur with the lower half of a panther and wearing a jackal mask. The creature looked to be made of stone. There was something familiar about the creature, though once more his memory failed him. He looked to the creature who then turned to him with shocking recognition. Neltharion looked away back to Calia who only scowled at him. Neltharion shrank back at her scowl and returned his gaze at the creature approaching him.

"No, it cannot be," said the creature. It was rather masculine which told Neltharion that this creature was male. He then looked at the pigmies. "What have you done? Do you know who you captured?"

He waved for his guards to step away from Neltharion.

"Great Lord Deathwing!" he called. "We are honored by your presence."

"Huh?" began Neltharion. "Oh...um..." His stance changed and he puffed out his chest, making his body swell slightly to expose some of the glowing cracks between his scales. As if on cue, his eyes flashed with a familiar fiery rage. He leaned down, smoking appearing out of his nostrils again and his voice took on a deep, sinister, furious tone. "How dare you let these pathetic insects touch my glorious person?"

"We had no idea you were coming to visit," said the guard. "Please, forgive us."

"Unacceptable!" Neltharion bellowed. "The Aspect of Death expects better. If you wish to continue existing...I suggest you do better."

"Yes, master," said the guard. "I am certain that Siamat would like to speak with you since you have come for a visit."

"Yes Siamat," said Neltharion. "I want to speak to Siamat..."

He blinked his eyes in confusion, though his face still kept its stern expression.

"I will inform him that you are here, lord," said the guard. He snapped his fingers and signaled to his other guards to follow him. Neltharion then turned back to the cages, his eyes making contact with Calia. They locked their eyes together just as Calia felt his mind link up with hers.

_Calia, these guys think I'm still Deathwing. I will distract them while you attempt to escape._

Calia nodded and then turned to Adarrah.

"We are going to make our escape," she said. "Can you get us out?"

"Yeah," said Adarrah. "I can pick the lock. But we need to take out that guard there."

"Nel's gonna keep them occupied," said Calia. "Apparently, they think he's still Deathwing."

"Ah," said Adarrah. "Budd, get ready. We're making a break."

Neltharion nodded when he got the message back from Calia. He turned his head back to the creature who then told him to follow him up to a tower in the center. Neltharion lowered his head down and pushed it slightly through the pillars of the tower. Before him was a being of wind dressed in armor and a turban. While the upper half was of a muscular man with dark purple skin, the lower half was like a raging cyclone. Neltharion was beholding a djinn. The djinn, a servant of Al'Akir himself, turned to the Black Dragon, his eyes widened. He then lowered himself to prostrate before the mighty Black.

"My Lord Deathwing," he began. "The Worldbreaker. I am very honored you have appeared in our humble city. I have heard reports that you strangely disappeared. My lord Al'Akir wondered where exactly you were. We heard you were dealing with the Life-Binder and her flight and we thought the worse..."

"Would I not be standing here before you if the Life-Binder had succeeded?" Neltharion asked. "I took care of my dear sister. She will not trouble our plans anymore. Now, we can focus on the plan at hand. This mortal world will burn when the Hour of Twilight finally falls."

He felt uncomfortable trying to channel what he remembered Deathwing was. The voices were pitched slightly different, the body motions were different. Deathwing was a completely different person than what he was. Neltharion keep his expression as harsh as he could make it, which was not hard. His face was ferocious. Neltharion squinted his eyes, trying to hide the fact his eyes no longer glowed the fiery orange that it used to when he was Deathwing. He sneered, pulling his lips over his huge racks of teeth.

"Tell me, Siamat," Neltharion began. "What exactly is it that you are doing here?"

"I thought you already knew, my lord," said Siamat. "Exactly what you ordered me to do."

"I have...been a bit busy of late," said Neltharion. He turned his head slightly to peer out the corner of his eye just as Calia, Adarrah, and Budd started sneaking out of their cages. They silently took out the guards watching over them. Then, Neltharion turned back to Siamat. "Remind me again..."

"Of course," said Siamat. "Perhaps a demonstration is an order, Great Dark One."

Neltharion cleared his throat, listening to all the titles Siamat was referring him as. These titles he no longer wanted nor did he deserve. He was not the Worldbreaker anymore, He was not the Destroyer, and he certainly was no Dark One. Black maybe his scales, but he was not dark in any sense.

"Behold!" Siamat said, calling Neltharion's attention. The great Black watched as Siamat called forth two, fleshy, furry cat-like centaurs. "New allies to your glorious cause!"

The two cat creatures bowed reverently before Neltharion. The Black Aspect turned his massive chin up to them, recalling that is what Deathwing would do to such a gesture. Acknowledgement of fealty was beneath Deathwing. Then, he turned to Siamat.

"Siamat, I may have skipped over my notes of whatever it is I want with this dusty place and its denizens," began Neltharion. "Can you tell me...what are they?"

"Tol'vir," said Siamat. "Originally created by the cursed Titans to guard Uldum and its great secrets. They were made out of stone much like many of the creations of the Titans. However, the Curse of the Flesh..."

"Turned them to flesh," said Neltharion. "Yes, I know about that."

"You have granted me the ability to restore them to their former forms," said Siamat. "These two were an escort for Prince Nadun of the Ramkahen Tribe. We have been trying desperately to get them to join our cause, but they decided to remain loyal to the Titans. However, these two from the Ramkahen Tribe have finally seen the light of your glory. They escorted Prince Nadun into a trap. I am about to grant them their reward for their servitude."

Neltharion looked to the two tol'vir and then back to Siamat.

"Proceed," he said. "By all means, don't let me stop you. Grant them my...gift."

"At once, my lord!" Siamat said in a bow. He then turned to the smaller creatures before him and then raised his hand out to them. "May Deathwing's gift make you whole again!"

Neltharion's eyes widened just as he watched the two tol'vir rear back upon their hind legs. They let loose a roar as their fur shed from their bodies. Their bodies became hard, rock-like, and black as onyx. Then, when their transformation was complete, they turned back to the massive Black Dragon and bowed again.

"We live to serve you, Lord Deathwing," they said.

Once more, Neltharion felt a tinge upon his throat as his eyes stung. He tried to fight back the tears, his memory slowly returning to him. Deathwing was corrupting these people by granting them a thing they once lost for slavery. Neltharion would have been happy to grant these people what they lost if they so wanted it, without any strings attached. This was corruption in its purist form.

_Serve me..._

_Yes, they would serve you._

_If you were Deathwing._

_But you are not._

_I am surprised you haven't told them yet,_ Neltharion said to the voices. _Tell me, N'Zoth. What's keeping you from telling them?_

_I am only amusing myself as you progress,_ replied the sultry and silky voice of N'Zoth. Neltharion thought he could feel its tentacles wrap around his mind again just as it did those years ago. _Perhaps to someday make you realize you are nothing without Deathwing. You are nothing without us._

_I am Neltharion, the Earth-Warder, created to guard this world,_ said Neltharion. _That is who I am, what I am. And you will not take that away from me again._

_Then, the game continues, _said N'Zoth.

_Yes, let the game continue._

_Let's see if he survives._

_He will more likely kill himself in his own grief._

_All of this...it's all his fault!_

_And let the little whelp suffer a little bit more, _N'Zoth chimed in.

Despite the utter disgust he felt watching the transformation before him, Neltharion had to keep up his facade. He was Deathwing to them. He did not want to be, but if he wanted to keep his friends safe, he had to be. He reached down deep into himself, the part of himself that was still Deathwing, that monster split personality the Old Gods created from his mental torment and allowed it to speak again. His eyes flashed once more, showing the burning, sulfurous, deathly gaze that brought mortals to their knees. He could have sworn he felt his body stretch again, the scales splitting open to reveal his fiery molten core as he allowed that hideous part of him to come to surface.

"You have done well, my faithful servant," he said, his voice sounding more and more like Deathwing's with every syllable. "Very well. I am sure Al'Akir will be pleased as well. I will make sure to tell him the news."

"Thank you," said Siamat.

Neltharion lifted his head just as he caught the whiff of something burning around him. He backed away to find many bails of hay around the center of the city being lit on fire by the now freed prisoners. They rushed quickly away to hid just as the guards ran out towards the burning bails. Neltharion noticed Calia and Adarrah disappear into a building not that far from the cages.

"Fire!" one of the guard cried. "Fire!"

"Oh my!" Neltharion said in faux surprise. "It seems my fiery, molten self has set something ablaze. Well, that's what happens when I'm...close to flammable objects."

"Someone, put out that fire!" Siamat called. "It is nothing of any sort of matter, Great One. We can remedy this."

"The prisoners have escaped!" shouted another stone tol'vir.

Neltharion growled, looking down at the guard. He rose up and then slammed his tail down upon the guard. The stone form of the tol'vir crumbled beneath his tail.

"How dare you let them escape!" Neltharion shouted. "Is this the servants you granted me, Siamat? You can't even keep some petty mortals in cages?"

"Forgive me, my lord!" called Siamat. "It won't happen again."

"I am not pleased at all!" Neltharion said, swinging his tail around to swat at another Neferset tol'vir. "Not at all! I should make you all burn for this! I will burn your entire city down to the ground...well, after it's done burning itself...I'll make it burn more!" He slammed a fist down upon another tol'vir just as Calia and Adarrah came out of the building. They rushed over to a chained tol'vir and began to unlock him. "Burn, crush, kill, destroy! Fire, rage! I will make you all pay for even wasting my time!" _Calia, what are you doing?_

_We have to rescue Prince Nadun, _Calia replied, casting her thoughts to his direction. _Just keep that up._

Neltharion reared up, fanning his wings to hide Calia and Adarrah and Budd from Siamat.

"The sun has set upon this mortal world, fools," he said. "Make peace with your end for the Hour of Twilight falls!"

"Why would you say that to us?" Siamat asked. "We're the ones making that happen."

"I have no idea!" Neltharion bellowed. He looked back at Calia and then extended her tail down to her for her and the others to climb up. At first Prince Nadun was a bit cautious about the idea of climbing on Deathwing's tail, but then shrugged it off when he heard Adarrah call him up. As soon as he felt his passengers secured upon his back, Neltharion focused once more back to Siamat. "Well, I must go. Things to destroy...worlds to break..."

With that, he took off into the air, flapping as fast as he could away from the courtyard of the city and leaving Siamat and the Neferset baffled by what they just witnessed. Calia held onto the straps while Adarrah, Budd, and Prince Nadun along with some of the other members of their caravan hung onto her. Prince Nadun looked all around him, blinking in confusion about just who it was he was riding on.

"I...I don't believe it!" he said. "Deathwing helped us escape?"

"We're still a little confused about it too, Your Highness," said Adarrah. "But apparently, he's a good guy now."

"I just can't believe that worked!" said Calia. "You just started stepping on them and...they did nothing."

"They assumed I was punishing them for being foolish guards," said Neltharion. "Apparently, the word has not gone out yet. I managed to have a little chat with the Old Gods."

"What did they say?" asked Calia.

"They didn't tell their generals that I've turned on them," said Neltharion. "Why, I have no idea. Perhaps because they want me to see what all I gave up when Deathwing was banished from my mind."

"So, who sent the sandstorm?" asked Calia.

"Al'Akir," said Neltharion. "Someone must have tipped him off to something. Someone knows about me no longer being Deathwing."

"Perhaps I can shed some light about that sandstorm," began Nadun. "My people have been attacked many times by Al'Akir and his elementals. They wish to bury us in sand if we do not bend to the will of the Neferset. Now, we know why. They allied themselves with you, Deathwing. You wish to steal the knowledge we have protected for thousands of years. How dare you turn your back upon those who created us...and you."

There was that grip at his heart when he heard the prince blame him for all the ill placed upon this land. Neltharion's head lowered slightly and his eyes slowly became unfocused.

"Then, the only thing I can say to that is that I beg for forgiveness," the Aspect said. "I cannot give anything else."

"Why would you ask for forgiveness?" Nadun asked.

"I do not ask, I beg," said Neltharion. "I beg to all of Azeroth to forgive me for the evil I have inflicted upon it. I will do anything to make things right."

"And what would make Deathwing want that?" Nadun asked.

"Because I am not Deathwing," he replied. "Not anymore. I am Neltharion. I am the Earth-Warder."

A light flashed inside Prince Nadun's golden eyes when he heard that name. He knew very well who Neltharion was. He was the former identity of what he now knew as the Aspect of Death, Deathwing. To hear that name being uttered by the being he came to know as the Betrayer of the Titans, a part of his heart leapt for joy. However, the rest of him remained skeptical. Deathwing was known for his lies and this could be one of them.

"I can't keep flying all day," said Neltharion, breaking Nadun's thoughts. "Anywhere you wish for me to set you down?"

"Should I even lead you to Ramkahen City?" asked Nadun. "They would surely see me as a traitor too."

"No doubt Siamat will tell Al'Akir about what I have done back there," said Neltharion. "And Al'Akir will questioned the Old Gods. You think that I would plan all of this to ransack your city by saving you? If I wanted your city now, I would have burned it to the ground."

"You need us because we have what you want," said Nadun. "The secrets to Uldum."

"I know the secrets of Uldum," said Neltharion. "And I am here to make sure they remain a secret. I much rather see this place destroyed than be used for the will of the Old Gods. However, you live here. That makes the decision to destroy Uldum harder."

"Please," began Calia. "We need all the help we can get in this."

"Why are you here?" asked Nadun.

"There's a device here..." said Neltharion. "A device that can destroy one world to remake another. I am here to put it out of commission. Deathwing wanted to use it to remake the world in his own vision. The Hour of Twilight would start here in Uldum. Satisfied?"

"Is that what Harrison discovered?" asked Adarrah.

"Dr. Jones may be the one to lead us to the device and help us deactivate it," said Calia.

"Who are you really, then, Calia?" she asked.

"Agent Hastings," Calia replied. "Stormwind Intelligence. Just reach in my back pocket and you'll find my badge."

"A secret agent from SI:7 riding on Deathwing to find Dr. Jones," said Budd. "That's it, I've heard it all."

Neltharion circled down around the ancient structures of Uldum.

"I am at your mercy, Prince," said Neltharion. "But I have to land somewhere."

"Very well," said Nadun. "Ramkahen City is to the north. We will speak to my brother the king about this. But I warn you, Aspect, if you are lying, you and your friends are as good as dead."

"Hey, we're just along for the ride," said Adarrah.

"Yeah, we don't mean any harm to you," said Budd.

"It'll take a lot more than words to kill me," said Neltharion. "However, I do not want to fight you or your tribe. I will not attack them when we land."

"And I take those words lightly," said Nadun. "I am no stranger to the forked tongue of Deathwing."

"You've never even met me," said Neltharion.

"Your deeds tell who you are quite clearly," said Nadun.

Neltharion banked off to the north, shaking his head again. No matter what he tried to do now, he could not escape the deeds of Deathwing. Deathwing has done more than Neltharion ever could.

_That is right, you cannot escape us._

_You cannot escape who you really are._

_Let Deathwing out._

_Let him destroy the world for us._

_Then, we will give you the peace you deserve._

Neltharion's eyes closed tightly and his breath quivered in its throat. He opened them again, trying to keep his mind on his flying. He tried to control his breath, slowly flapping his wings as he passed over a lovely oasis. He could smell the sweet scent of the ocean to the northeast. There, spread out before him, was the ancient city of Ramkahen. Most of the city were huts built along the coastline of sea-green waters. But right near that coast, standing before a tall cliff and a dramatic waterfall was the palace. Stone statues of the guardians long passed stood in silent vigil over the ancient, sun-bleached city.

For Neltharion, the city itself looked like a step back in time when the world was newer, when he was younger. He could feel tears well up in his eyes as he approached the city, flying low. So many memories came flooding back to him of those glory days. Life was simpler, the monsters of the deep had not even begun to speak to him yet, and he watched over a might Black Dragonflight. He was leaner, smaller, but more agile and spry, certainly not the overweight, out of proportioned body that it is now. He hated this body, hated what the Old Gods turned him into. Menacing, imposing, enormously muscled to aching girth, barely even able to bend his arms and legs, and as he moved he could still feel the pain of the glowing rips along his sides and neck, still being held by the plates Alexstrasza left on him. He longed for that time again, longed to be himself. This Ramkahen City made him want that even more. He blinked away his tears, trying hard not to let his passengers see them. He could not cry, not right now. Now was not the time for tears.

_The whelp is crying again..._

_Shut up..._Neltharion said to the voices in his head. _Leave me alone._

_The only way we will do that is if you go drunk again, whelp._

_Yes, get hammered there. In your stupor, you will destroy their city!_

_Shut up!_ Neltharion repeated.

"Land over there," said Nadun.

Neltharion growled, trying hard to concentrate on his flying, trying to block out the whispers again as they became like a pounding roar inside his mind. He gave a slight nod to Nadun and passed over a quiet courtyard near the palace of the city. He slowly lowered down to the ground, his wings causing a gush of air to blow across the tops of the palm trees. Several Ramkahen tol'vir came rushing out, spears and arrows at the ready when they saw the massive Black Dragon land in the court. Neltharion swung his head, murmuring to himself in a desperate attempt to banish the whispers.

"Nel," said Calia, laying her hand on his neck. "Let us down."

Neltharion did not reply, continuing to whisper to himself. Adarrah and Budd looked to each other, growing concerned, and then back to Calia. The guards continued to approach.

"Peace, all of you!" called Prince Nadun, raising his hand. "It is alright. I am here. This is a bit difficult to explain..."

"Nel," Calia began. "Please...let us down."

Neltharion continued to wag his head subconsciously, murmuring to himself.

"Nel, now's not the time to have a breakdown," said Calia. "Come on, focus. Let us down."

"Tell them to stop," he said in a low voice.

"What?" she asked.

Neltharion swiftly swung his head around to her, his eyes glowing like hot coals.

"Tell them to stop!" he bellowed.

She saw the silvery lines going down his cheeks and she swallowed hard. Taking in a breath, she pulled her pistol and aimed it straight for his right eye.

"You know how good of a shot I am," she said. "Don't make me do this to you, Nel. Put us down, now."

"What's going on?" Adarrah asked.

"Just stay still," said Calia. "Neltharion, put Deathwing away. Put him away and control him."

"I...I can't..." he said. "They're...tell them to stop..."

Calia pulled back on the hammer and thumbed the trigger. She began to slow her heart, breathing in and out to control her aim. She locked her gaze with Neltharion's flaming eyes.

"Listen to my voice," she said. "It's the thing you've heard clearly before. Look at my face. You can only see me. You cannot see them, right? No one but me. So, look at me. You cannot hear them, only me. Right? So, listen to me. Listen to me..."

_Listen..._

_Listen to the beat of the Heart of Azeroth...hear it's beat?_

Neltharion began to breathe in and out, his chest heaving with his breath. His own heart slowed. His eyes cooled, returning to their emerald green color. His face soften, but his tears still flowed. He closed his eyes and slowly lowered to the ground, laying his head down on the soft grass. Calia sighed with relief and holstered her pistol. She unstrapped herself and began to dismount, helping the passengers off as well. Prince Nadun looked up at Neltharion the moment he got down from the Black Dragon's shoulders. Neltharion's eyes stared out, looking at absolutely nothing. He rested his head upon his forepaws.

"I see," said Nadun. "I see now. I see what happened to the Earth-Warder."

"Excuse me?" asked Adarrah. "You know who he is?"

"All of us do," he replied. "Such knowledge was never lost to us. We knew of Deathwing before he was Deathwing. He was Neltharion, one of the Five Dragon Aspects created by our Makers to guard this world. As we were created to protect Uldum from outsiders who wish to use its secrets for personal gain. Uldum has many dangerous secrets left over by the Titans. Anyone of those devices could very well spell out doom for us all. We promised to keep up the duties even after they have left. Of course we know about the Dragon Aspects. Nozdormu, the Timeless One, Malygos, the Spell-Weaver, Neltharion, the Earth-Warder, Ysera, the Dreamer, and the Dragon Queen Alexstrasza, the Life-Binder. Neltharion betrayed them and became Deathwing, the Destroyer, forsaking the power bestowed upon him. But now, I know why. He speaks of _them_." Nadun turned to the others. "We know who _they _are. They were the ones responsible for his madness. How was he cured?"

"All I know is that Alexstrasza somehow found a way to banish Deathwing," said Calia. "I don't know. He talks about Deathwing as if he was a separate personality all together. And after a certain dream I shared with him, I actually believe it. I was inside Neltharion's mind while in the Emerald Dream and I saw that Deathwing and Neltharion are two separate beings sharing one body."

"Deathwing is really parasite," said Nadun. "Those beings are very well capable of doing such things. Even to one of the greatest creatures in the world. Though it seems, he is still plagued by that parasite. I must speak to my brother about this first. Please, wait here."

Nadun walked inside the palace followed by a few of the guards. Calia turned her head when she heard a pitiful whimper coming from Neltharion. She took a deep breath and slowly walked over to him. Calia leaned upon the massive, adamantine brace and placed a comforting hand upon it. Neltharion lowly rumbled, his eyes rolling over to her. He shifted his head and pressed against her hand.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to...scare you again..."

"I thought we killed him..." she said.

"He may have manifested himself with the help of the Nightmare," began Neltharion. "But he is a part of me. He is my emotions of hatred, fear, sorrow, rage, every negative emotion I have personified into an entity fueled by the Old Gods to control me. And I let him do it. I let those emotions control me when I should have been more in control of them. I cannot love without ever knowing hate. I cannot feel joy without having sorrow, I cannot be brave without having fears. Deathwing...is that part of me. Deathwing is...me. Fighting that isn't what I need to do, I need to control it. Control what makes Deathwing so that he will not harm anyone ever again." Neltharion purred at her as he moved his snout towards her, rubbing it against her. "I will not let him hurt you ever again."

She gave the snout a pat and leaned away from him. He needed her comfort, she realized.

"I wish he never had hurt you," Neltharion said. "I wish he never had hurt anyone. If you wish to go on your own, fearing for your safety now, Calia, I understand."

"And leave you here to be a prisoner to these cat-people?" asked Calia. "No. You heard what King Varian said. This is your community service time. You have to make up for all the damage you caused Stormwind City...at least."

"Yes, boss," said Neltharion, continuing to nuzzle her with his snout.

"It will not be easy to control Deathwing, will it?" asked Calia.

"Like controlling a hurricane," said Neltharion. "Not so simply done. And my powers...they still have forgotten me. I couldn't even protect us from the sandstorm. I'm not much use to you, am I?"

Calia sighed, realizing he heard her call him 'worthless'. She patted the snout again.

"I'm...sorry for saying that," she sad. "I just didn't realize what was going on."

Just then Prince Nadun came out with another tol'vir, one dressed in ceremonial garb and a ram's mask upon his head. This was obviously his brother, the king.

"I present to all of you my brother King Phaoris," said Nadun.

Neltharion rose up slightly as Calia, Adarrah, and Budd bowed respectfully. Neltharion also dipped his head in respect.

"So, these are the outsiders who helped my brother escape his bonds?" Phaoris asked. "I am in you debt. However, what you have done complicates things. You see, I was hoping for a more peaceful way of dealing with the Neferset Tribe. Unfortunately, your actions may have moved us to war. That was something I was trying to avoid."

"Brother, after seeing what had become of the Neferset Tribe," began Nadun. "I do not believe that war can be avoided. They sided with...well...they did side with Deathwing. As you can see...Deathwing..."

"Hold," began Phaoris, his head turning to Neltharion. "Yes, I know." He slowly approached the Earth Aspect and peered up at him. Phaoris motioned for him to come closer. Neltharion dipped his head down so that the two were looking at each other eye to eye. For a moment, there was nothing more than silence between the two. Then, Phaoris dipped his head, releasing Neltharion from his gaze. The Earth-Warder also nodded.

"Yes," said Phaoris. "It is true. The Earth-Warder has returned to us. But I still sense the presence of Deathwing within him."

"There is no getting rid of Deathwing," said Neltharion. "I've tried."

"I understand," said Phaoris. "I am overjoyed to know that now five Aspects are at full strength again. Perhaps our world will stand a chance. What brings you here to Uldum?"

"I have come for the device that will unmake and remake the world," said Neltharion. "Not to use it, but to shut it down. Deathwing used my knowledge of its existence to send spies here to look for it. The problem is that when he released me from my bonds, he...took a considerable amount of my memory with him. I can't remember what exactly the device is called. I don't know exactly where it is. I just know it's here. If I have to dig up all of Uldum, then I will do so. But I must find it before Commander Schnottz does."

"We know of some of your agents flying around Uldum," said Nadun. "Black dragons from your flight. Of course the elementals are also testament to your presence. We do not have much information about this device you speak of, however, we know that many of the Makers' creations are dangerous when used for ill will."

"Please, if you can help us in any way," said Calia. "We would be grateful. We need to find that device."

"We do not know of it," said Phaoris. "Much of our own history has been lost as well. However, I will grant you amenity in Uldum to search for this Commander Schnottz you speak of if you will do something for us in return, Earth-Warder."

Neltharion leaned back: "Anything. What do you ask?"

"You must return and help us against the Neferset Tribe and their allies the air elementals," said Phaoris. "If you succeed in your mission, come back to us. If you prove your worthiness, then we will may consider forgiving any discrepancies you have caused by allying with Al'Akir."

"Do you wish for me to take down Al'Akir himself?" asked Neltharion.

"Yes," said Phaoris. "He is located in Skywall, the city above ours. So long as his presence continues to plague us, we will never be at rest."

"Very well," said Neltharion. "I will destroy an Elemental Lord for you. It is the least I can do, I suppose. He and Ragnaros did ally with Deathwing, it's only natural for Neltharion to clean up their messes."

"We've heard that Ragnaros was already destroyed," said Adarrah. "The only that is left that seems to pose a problem is Al'Akir. From what I heard Therazane does not want to be bothered and Neptulon appears to be friendly towards us."

"I will do what you ask," said Neltharion, dipping his head again. "In exchange to be allowed to move about freely around Uldum."

"We will hold you to your word, Earth-Warder," said Phaoris. "Do not betray us as you have Alexstrasza."

Neltharion dipped his head lowly again as the two tol'vir walked away. How many times could he be reminded of what he did those thousands of years ago? His head followed them as they walked back into the palace. The king had motioned for one of the travelers, a worgen to follow him inside so that he could speak to him as well. Calia patted Neltharion on the snout again, causing him to purr. The Black Dragon nuzzled her, happy that she was comforting him. She leaned up from his snout and gave it one final pat.

"Alright," began Calia, coming to Adarrah. "You said you know who Dr. Jones is and you were sending supplies to him. Do you know where he is?"

"The last thing I heard from him in his recent letter was that he was digging around a tomb," said Adarrah. "I think it's called Khartut's Tomb. He may be still there that is if he hasn't gone inside yet."

Neltharion lowered his foreleg out to Calia and she began to climb upon his shoulders. She strapped herself into the harness and kicked the side of his neck, signaling she was on. The enormous, Black Aspect rose up onto his all fours and rustled his wings. Calia looked back down over his flank to Adarrah.

"Alright," she said. "That is where we'll start. Where exactly is it?"

"You may have seen it on the way into Uldum," said Adarrah. "It's a tomb that has a tol'vir sphinx statue atop it. It's really massive, you can't miss it."

"We'll be able to see it from the air," said Neltharion. "No doubt Dr. Jones as well."

"Let's go, Nel...please..." said Calia, grinning at him.

"Good, you said the magic word this time," said Neltharion as he started off, leaping powerfully into the air. Adarrah called out to them.

"Good luck!"

As the Black Dragon leveled out, he followed along the many winding roads back towards the gates to the southwest. His eyes roved over to an enormous stone statue standing proudly in the sun itself. Behind it was an obelisk made from the same material, settling against a rocky bank. There were camps dotting the cliff itself where he suspected the pigmies lived. The least he had to do with them, the better. Suddenly, there was a massive explosion that shook the air itself. Neltharion faltered in his flight, catching himself in a swift hover as he saw a blinding white light before the tomb. A fiery cloud in the shape of a mushroom rose up from the tomb and a small, box-like object was flung over the gate.

"Nel, over there!" said Calia.

"Right."

He dove for the box, flying over the explosion at the tomb itself. He landed near where the obelisk was just as the box slammed into the ground. Neltharion lowered himself for Calia to dismount and the moment she hit the ground, the box opened up. It was in fact a chest. Out of the chest came a human man dressed in a loose linen shirt, a broad rimmed hat and khaki pants. The man dusted himself off, looking back at where he launched himself from.

"That worked like a charm," said the man.

Neltharion reared onto his haunches, his eyes wide. That was the first time he ever saw a human survive an explosion like that from the inside of a flying chest. His face brightened with awe and he began to clap his paws at what he saw.

"Why thank you!" the man said, hearing the dragon applaud. "Thank you very much!"

He took off his hat and looked up at his massive audience.

"Thank you..." he said again, but then his face turned to horrifying realization upon seeing the dragon who applauded. "Deathwing!"

"That was amazing, human," said Neltharion. "I've never seen anyone do that before and lived. What are you made of?"

"Great Scott..." said the man, shaking his head in disbelief of standing before the Aspect of Death.

Calia walked over to the man and held out her hand.

"Hi, I'm Calia," she began. "I take you're Dr. Harrison Jones from the Archeological Institute in Stormwind?"


	11. XI

**XI**

Harrison Jones sat down on a rock, taking in all the information Calia had just told him about Neltharion and why they both were there. He looked over to the Black Aspect, who continued to study him with curious green eyes. He took off his hat and laid it on the ground, giving his head a good scratch. Calia climbed up upon Neltharion's flank and untied a pouch from it. She slid down the foreleg and brought out two tin cups from the pouch, pouring water for both her and Jones.

"Here," she said. "You might need some of this."

"Thanks," said Jones, taking a sip of the water. "I know about the five Dragon Aspects. And I know that one betrayed them. That one being Deathwing. One of my mentors was after some information on that and those nasty monsters known as the Old Gods. So, he's cured?"

"Somewhat," said Calia. "Apparently, there's still a lot of work to be done."

Neltharion lifted up and pulled on the harness again. He reached to a buckle and loosened it around his neck, rubbing the spot where it was catching his scales. He reached behind his back and pulled on one of the straps, sending a barrel of ale rolling down his spine and down his tail. The Black Dragon picked the barrel up and opened it, giving it a lengthy sip.

"You don't have to worry about Deathwing showing up though," said Calia, looking up at the now slightly buzzed face Aspect of Earth. "Apparently, I've discovered how to keep that part of him tamed."

"That's a relief," said Jones. "About this Commander Schnottz guy. I've heard of him. He's been working with a...I would say colleague, but he's more like an ass. He's a Blood Elf named Belloc Brightblade. This guy's been following me around on my digs, and stealing what artifacts I find so he can take the credit. Currently, he's working with Commander Schnottz. And Schnottz, well, he's looking for something, tearing up the land..." he paused to wipe the sweat from his forehead with a rag "...and destroying priceless artifacts for whatever it is he's looking for. What's useless to him, he destroys, and what isn't, he keeps. It's a crime."

"Have you seen black dragons flying around Uldum, Dr. Jones?" Neltharion asked, setting the barrel down.

"Black dragons?" asked Jones. "No. But I suppose I've got my head too deep in the sand and my work lately even to notice dragons flying around. You're the first black dragon I've seen here despite being _the_ Black Dragon."

"We think Schnottz has some of Neltharion's dragons working for him," said Calia. "The Earth Aspect may be redeemed, but apparently his flight is not."

"So, you're basically on your own about this, huh?" asked Jones, turning to peer up at Neltharion. The Earth-Warder nodded sadly. Jones took in a deep breath. "I'd like to help you, but I don't know anything about this global reformatting device you talk about."

"We know it's in Uldum," said Calia.

"Well, if it's here, I may be able to help you find it," said Jones. "Anything to help with Stormwind. I know for a fact Schnottz has to be stopped in what he's doing. Nothing with what he's doing to Uldum can be good, I'm certain of that. Though, currently, I am searching for the Coffer of Promise."

"Coffer of Promise?" asked Calia. She looked over to Neltharion who only shrugged and wagged his head.

"It's real," said Jones. "And it holds the secret of Uldum itself, or so I've managed to translate from some of my ancient text. You've never heard of it?"

"No," said Calia.

"Doesn't ring a bell," said Neltharion.

"I would figure you might know of it since you're...well...an Aspect," said Jones, turning to Neltharion.

"I don't know what the Coffer of Promise is," said Neltharion.

"Shame," said Jones. "Oh well, maybe in finding the Coffer, we'll come across this device of yours."

Harrison Jones got up off the rock and walked over to his camping supplies. Rummaging through his backpack, he pulled out a journal and began to write in it, taking notes of what he found. And then, he walked over to where his chest landed, noticing that it had inadvertently landed upon a pigmy.

"Too bad about this guy," said Jones. "But I think he's got something interesting on him."

On the arm of the pigmy was a golden shield with intricate designs and symbols on it. Jones pulled the shield from the pigmy and held it up, bringing it over to Calia and Neltharion.

"This thing wasn't made by that pigmy," he said to them. "And there maybe more of it. It appears to be a part of a tablet."

Neltharion craned his head down, one green eye studying to tablet Harrison Jones held.

"Titan writing," said the Aspect.

"Can you read this?" Jones asked.

"It's been a few thousand years," said Neltharion. "But I do remember some words."

"That's another issue we're having," said Calia. "Apparently Deathwing took a lot of the furniture inside Neltharion's head when he vacated it the first time. We're trying to get it back."

"Ah," said Jones. "Well, if you both can help me, perhaps we can piece this thing together. I hope you two are good at field work!"

Calia looked up at Neltharion and placed her hands on her hips.

"Well?" she asked. "Start digging."

"Just choose a spot?" he asked.

"That's the idea," she said.

"I've...never done this before," said Neltharion.

"If you find something interesting, just show it to me and we'll see if it fits the rest of this tablet," said Jones. "And be careful. This is a delicate archeological site."

Calia and Neltharion split off, walking around the obelisk. Neltharion focused on it, feeling himself drawn to the structure. He knew it was important for something, though he could not remember what. The Black Dragon reached out to touch the obelisk and sensed the great power that it held deep within. This had to be a part of the device or connected to it. He swung his head over, noticing Calia picking up a small, bronze coin. She then picked up another piece of the broken tablet. Walking over to him, she held up the tablet.

"Can you read this?" she asked the dragon.

Neltharion leaned down and scanned over the ancient writing. He focused upon the tablet, trying to make sense of the words written upon its surface.

"It...says something about a staff," he said. "And stars. I can't make sense of the rest of it."

"I should take this to Dr. Jones then," said Calia. "But that staff...I wonder if this is a part of it?"

She held up the coin to him.

"Maybe," said Neltharion. "I wish I could be of more help."

"You standing around here may be keeping the pigmies at bay," said Calia. "I don't think they want to mess with you now since they think you're Deathwing and after you basically killed some of those Neferset guys."

Neltharion chuckled and settled down, looking towards the east where the pigmy camp was. There, he saw the head pigmy wearing a lavish turban around his head. His eyes focused upon the pigmy, seeing that he was carrying something in his hands. The leader of the pigmies held a rather ornate staff. Obviously the staff itself was too delicately crafted to be something a pigmy would carry. Neltharion let loose a snort and then extended his wings. He leapt into the air and headed for the pigmy camp. Calia looked back to find him flying off to the east.

"Neltharion!" she called. "What are you doing?"

Neltharion ignored her cries as he made his way to the camp. Landing upon the cliff, he growled at the pigmy tribes, boiling magma dripped from his jaws. He sank his claws deep into the rocks, craning his head down to the camp.

"Big dragon!" shouted one of the pigmies.

Neltharion sneered at them, pulling his lips across his teeth. He raised a claw up and motioned for the leader of the pigmy to step forward.

"If you wish to keep your life, little imp," Neltharion began. "I suggest you hand over that pretty staff you're wielding."

"Me no give staff to big ugly dragon!" called the leader. "Oogah not afraid of dragon!"

"Wrong answer," said Neltharion. He slammed his tail down upon the camp, causing many of the pigmies to scatter. His head turned back to Oogah. "Well, last chance."

"Since dragon asked so nicely..." began Oogah, lowering the staff to the ground. "No hurt!"

Neltharion rumbled and snatched the staff up in his claw. He pushed off from ledge of the cliff and flew back towards the obelisk. Landing, he settled himself down and dropped the staff in front of Calia.

"What was that all about?" asked Calia.

"Try that strange coin on that staff," said Neltharion. Calia picked up the staff and placed the coin atop it, realizing that both fit perfectly. She then nodded to Neltharion and ran over to Harrison Jones.

"Here, I've found the missing tablet," she said. "And well, Nel found this."

"Let's see what you have here," said Jones, putting on his spectacles. He placed the missing pieces of the tablet together and began to read the words. Then, he looked over to the staff. "Incredible! These tablets about the obelisks around Uldum. They're apparently apart of some enormous, ancient mechanism. The mechanism needs to be recharged, which is where this staff you found comes in." He then turned around to a massive opening to a chamber next to the obelisk itself. "I've been meaning to explore this site here. If you both don't mind following me, I think we may be onto something important that may lead us both to what we are looking for."

"The device," said Neltharion.

"Let's hope," said Jones. "Come on and stay close. The chamber itself is big enough for you to climb in, Neltharion. Apparently these Titans were absolutely massive."

"That they were," said Neltharion, recalling what his Titan looked like. He envisioned a highly muscular man with a long flowing beard of fiery red and brazen, metallic skin. He had a rather scornful look upon his brow, showing a being who knew a hard day's work. In his massive fist was a hammer that could level or raise mountains with one mighty swing. Though the titans themselves were nearly half the size of the Aspects, they were still imposing figures to behold and Neltharion reverently honored his. Neltharion leaned down to allow Calia and Harrison to mount up on his shoulders. However, Harrison ran off and leapt down into the massive corridor in the sand.

"What is this human made of?" Neltharion asked. "That was clearly a 30-foot drop."

"Apparently he's made of awesome," said Calia.

"Apparently," said Neltharion, slowly climbing down into the shaft itself. He slid down the corridor and then paused to find Harrison Jones climbing the rest of the way down one of the shoulders of a massive statue. The Aspect carefully leapt down into the main chamber and squeezed his massive bulk between two of the other statues. There were four in all, circling a central mechanism set in a square hole. Gears rolled around inside the mechanism itself. Etched in gold along a green frame around the strange mechanism were ancient writing. Neltharion lowered himself down onto the stone floor and allowed Calia to slide off his shoulders. She approached Harrison Jones, who now waited for them at the center of the chamber itself.

"Welcome," he said. "To the Chamber of the Stars. This belongs to the Obelisk of the Stars, a part of the mechanism that cloaked Uldum from the outside world."

"If we get this thing going again," began Calia. "Then no one will be able to find it once we leave. This place will be safe to remain untouched by anyone wishing to use its secrets for evil."

"Possibly," said Jones. "However, after reading a little bit more of that tablet, it is also possible that this may be related to the device you are seeking as well. Call these obelisks power stations for the whole area of Uldum."

"I much rather they remained shut down, then," said Neltharion. "So the device will not be used."

"Ah, but there may be a way of shutting down the device completely," said Jones. "We just have to find out what. And the obelisks may be that key. I'm going to look a little further into this, you two can have a look around as well. Maybe what we find, we can piece it all together to get this thing working again. But be careful, you two. Don't go breaking anything."

Both Calia and Neltharion shrugged and began to walk around the massive chamber, combing it in opposite directions. Neltharion leaned down to attempt to read the inscription on the floor. He settled his massive belly down onto the floor, running a black claw over the golden inscription. Calia walked around over to the other side, turning away from the Black Dragon. She walked on over to the wall, noticing a rotting corpse lying on the ground. The corpse was dressed in a green uniform and was clearly a human male. In his outstretched hand was a journal. Calia knelt down to pick it up. Opening the journal she began to read the last few entries.

**"I have found an incredible site!**

**"The whole area pulsates with the hum of ancient architecture. If it were not so late in the day, I would investigate the chamber immediately! Sleeping, tonight, will be a struggle...**

**"A most productive day, today!**

**"The chamber is indeed of ancient origin, and houses a magnificent mechanism which seems to be in disrepair.**

**"I will investigate further tomorrow. This discovery will surely force Schnottz to take notice of me!**

**"How could he deny me a promotion after something like this?**

**0**

**"It has taken me all day to wrestle the cipher from these hieroglyphs:**

**_Through the eyes of blue is starlight revealed._**

**_Ten shards, one rod, and the veil disappears._**

**"Forget Schnottz and his empty promises! If I can unravel this riddle, its secrets will be mine!**

**0**

**"I've done it!**

**"Using the sapphire from the chamber's adornments, I have fashioned a pair of goggles. With them, I am able to see things previously hidden from view.**

**"Amazing!**

**"With luck, my next entry will find me a newly rich man!"**

Calia sifted through the man's belongings and found a pair of broken goggles with sapphire gems set inside of them. She held them up to her eyes for a moment, and then pulled them down, turning towards Neltharion.

"Hey!" she called "Nel!"

The Black Dragon lifted his head up from his own work and turned to his human companion.

"What?" he asked.

"I found a journal," she said. "It comes from someone working for Schnottz. They really were here! I need you to come over here and take a look at these sapphires he's got."

"Cali, this isn't the time for me to appraise gems," said Neltharion. "We can look for pretty crystals later."

"Shut up and get your fat ass over here!" said Calia, stomping her foot. "Now! You're the damned Earth-Warder, you can tell me something about these sapphires. The journal said he used them for goggle lenses. Now, get over here! And don't call me Cali. Arthas called me that."

"Sorry," Neltharion huffed as he slowly made his way over to the other side of the perfectly squared chamber. He slowly lowered himself down, coiling his body slightly as he moved his head closer to her. Calia held up the sapphires to the Earth-Warder and he squinted to study them. Neltharion rumbled and his size shrank. Holding out his claw, he bid her to place the sapphires into it. Neltharion lifted one of the sapphires up and peered into the crystal shard. The world turned a shade of blue and he looked about the chamber itself. There, he saw a sparkling orb before him and he reached out to touch it. He could sense the power coursing through the orb.

"I see," he rumbled. "I see indeed." Neltharion lowered the sapphire down and handed them back to Calia. "These goggles made from the sapphires allow this man to see these ghostly orbs. Apparently, this man was about to collect them for something."

"I should take these back to Dr. Jones," she said. "He may know how to fix them. I think those orbs have something to do with the obelisk."

Neltharion reared back and snatched Calia up into his forelegs, holding her up against his huge chest.

"Oh, my consort is so smart!" he beamed. "It makes me so happy!"

"Nel, I told you not to call me that," said Calia. She shoved him in the chest with her elbow and slowly moved away. Neltharion toppled over onto the floor.

"Yes...babycakes," he mumbled.

Calia swiftly walked back towards Dr. Jones as Neltharion rose up from the floor, scratching his head.

"Talk about tough love," he said.

Calia and Dr. Jones began to repair the goggles. Neltharion had returned to his true size once more and began to inspect one of the large statues. He raised his ebony black claw to the statue and touched the stone shoulder. Something smelled peculiar about the statue and he did not like the scene. The Black Dragon snorted and then turned to the other three statues around the chamber.

"I wouldn't go touching those," said Jones in warning to the Great Black. "They may be the things we need to get this machine going."

Neltharion snatched his claw away.

"I...smell something odd about them," said the Earth-Warder. "Something doesn't seem right."

"Well, we'll know in a moment," said Jones. "There, I've got the goggles fixed. Not perfect, but it'll get the job done. There's something hidden here, something we need. According to the text, to get the machine going, we need starlight, seven of them."

"I'll go look around for them," said Calia. She turned back to the Black Dragon. "Don't. Touch. Anything."

Neltharion felt his shoulders slump again and he lowered his head as his emerald eyes followed his wife around the chamber. He watched her reach out to the air itself. She was grabbing the orbs, though he could not see them without the special goggles. The moment she made for the first orb of starlight, Calia drew her pistol and began firing at nothing. Neltharion rushed towards her, watching her swing her leg around for a kick at some invisible attacker.

"Leave me alone!" she called. "Let me go!"

"Calia?" he asked. Neltharion picked his forepaw up just as he sensed a bullet racing towards him. "Calia?"

Calia dashed off, firing at the unseen foe.

"Go away!" she called. "Leave me alone!"

"The sapphire," Neltharion whispered. He reached his claw out towards one of the sapphire gems that adorned the walls of the chamber. He whispered to the sapphire, calling them forth to him. The gems broke loose upon his command, flying for his open, outstretched claw. Neltharion snatched the gem up into his claw and then held it up to his own eyes. Before him was Calia, but also something else, something she was fighting. The form of a human man floated to her, threatening her with his saber. His body lacked substance, but his sword was more than capable of cutting her flesh. He was a ghost.

"Calia!" Neltharion called.

More ghostly forms rushed her.

"Nel, do something!"

"I can't," said Neltharion. "I don't have the power over ghosts."

"You're an Aspect!" Calia shouted, rushing over to the other side.

"The wrong Aspect," Neltharion said as he rushed to her side. "This is Alexstrasza's department. She would be able to rebuke these souls, not me."

_Those who behold the starlight must forever protect it..._

Neltharion positioned himself over Calia, his enormous, pillar-like foreleg placed between her and the ghosts.

"There has to be a way to get rid of these things," said Calia.

"Listen..." Neltharion whispered. "Listen to what they say. The starlight. I've got an idea."

"Great, finally," said Calia. "It's about time you do something."

Neltharion growled at her in frustration over her cynical tone and snatched her up into his claw. Calia curled herself up into the massive claw, bracing herself against the pad. Neltharion reached over for a starlight orb, taking it into his claw and holding it up to the ghosts.

"Hey, ghosties," he began. "I've got your precious starlight." He leaned down to them. "And there's nothing you can do about it."

He squinted slightly, keeping the sapphire stone lens in his eye as he moved himself away from the ghosts. He walked awkwardly upon his hind legs, ducking down just as his horns began to scrape the ceiling. Neltharion knelt down and grabbed another starlight.

"You can't hurt me," he said to the ghosts.

_We have sworn to serve, intruder. And so shall you!_

"I am sworn to serve," said Neltharion. "But not to this place. I already have a job, thank you very much."

He leaned down and snatched up the final starlight. Then, rearing back up, he headed for Harrison Jones. Jones got up from studying the mechanism, looking around at the flanking ghosts.

"Just what happened?" he asked.

"They don't want us touching the starlights," said Neltharion, lowering his claw to set Calia down. "Tell me you have at least one."

"I've got it," she said.

"Good," said Neltharion.

"Alright, give the orbs here," said Jones. "And I'll swing the staff to the center."

He tied the rope to the staff and swung it out, until it was caught in a suspension field at the center of the mechanism. Just then, the statues came alive, firing beams at the center of the staff as well, all save one. The beams fizzled and then vanished.

Nothing happened.

"That should have worked," said Jones.

"It didn't," said Neltharion.

"I thought you knew what you were doing," said Calia.

"This place is old," said Jones. "There's bound to be something going wrong. Hang on, I've got an idea."

He walked over to the foot of one of the statues.

"Stand back," he said. "I don't need both of you getting hurt."

"I could..." Neltharion began, stepping forward.

"No need," said Jones. "I'll handle this one, pal."

With that, Jones began to jump up and climb onto the statue. He brought out a whip and swung it around, latching onto the forearm of the statue itself, swinging himself upon the arm. As he climbed and jumped higher, the statue started crumbling slightly. Neltharion looked all around him as dust and pieces of rock fell from the ceiling above. The ghosts vanished as he leaned down to cover Calia with a wing protectively. Jones jumped upon the head of the statue and then lashed his whip out again only to swing back down from the finger of the statue. As he swung down, the statue toppled over. Somehow, the rumbling began to topple over the other statues, causing their heads to fall apart. Out from the heads came man-sized scarab beetles scattering all around the three.

"Well, that did it!" said Jones. "Those insects were inside the heads."

"Human, what are you made of?" Neltharion asked, once more astonished by Jone's feat.

"Sorry, he doesn't get out much," said Calia. "Nel, this isn't the time."

Neltharion looked around at the scarabs and swung his tail around, smashing several of them in one swat.

"You two get the mechanism working, I'll handle the infestation," he said.

"Okay," said Jones. "Let's go, Ms. Hastings."

"Ms. Hastings..." Calia repeated. "Yes."

She turned around when she felt searing heat upon her back. Behind her Neltharion let loose a spout of fire and magma, rendering the insects to ash.

"Careful!" shouted Jones. "Those statue heads. Ms. Hastings, there's orbs inside them much like the starlight you collected. If you could grab them before your friend fries the place."

"Right," said Calia. "Neltharion, enough of the fire!"

She ran around to the statue heads, climbing inside of them to feel around for the orbs. Once she gathered all four, she returned again and handed them over. Neltharion, on the other hand, was finishing off the last of the scarabs. Calia handed the orbs over to Jones. He raised the orbs up and they flew over to four platforms on each side of the mechanism. They charged up the center and shot forth their power, joining with a golden light from deep inside. The beam shot up towards through an opening in the ceiling and out. All three felt the whole chamber come to life with a quake.

"Quickly, outside," said Jones. He and Calia made for Neltharion, who leaned down to allow them to mount upon his shoulders. The Black Dragon leapt into the corridor and raced outside just as the obelisk shot forth a purple beam into the sky.

"Amazing," said Jones. "Simply amazing. I wouldn't have been able to figure this out with out your help...both of your help. There is more to this place than I thought."

Neltharion craned his neck back: "You're right, Dr. Jones. There is. Seeing this obelisk, I have seen others like it. Two others. If this one is the Obelisk of the Stars, then there must be an Obelisk of the Sun and an Obelisk of the Moon."

"Are you starting to remember?" Calia asked, placing a hand on his neck.

"Somewhat," he replied.

"I don't even know where to begin to tell you where those happen to be here," said Jones. "But, if you take me to Ramkahen, I can find out from there."

Upon their return to Ramkahen, Neltharion settled himself down, his head facing west to watch the sun go down. Calia and Dr. Jones slid off his side. He began to fumble through his notes, reading what all he discovered at the Obelisk of the Stars. There was a bright, enthusiastic gleam in his eyes when he began to reread his notes.

"I'm not so sure I'll be able to sleep tonight!" he said. "So much information! Hey, Ms. Hastings, meet me here tomorrow and I should have the location of where the second obelisk is. But you two should get some rest. We've got a busy day tomorrow!"

With that, he darted off, mumbling to himself as he read over the notes again. Calia looked up at Neltharion, who continued to stare blankly at the setting sun. She climbed back up on his back to get her camping equipment out. She decided to unroll her sleeping bag and walked over to a small oasis of trees and laid it out there. Neltharion turned to her, watching her begin to settle in. Once she was comfortable, Calia brought out some food and started eating it.

"You better drink your liquor," she said. "Because I want to have a nice restful night tonight and no you waking me up in the middle of it with your nightmares."

Neltharion took the harness off his neck and let it slide off his body. He pulled out one of the barrels and began to sip it, savoring the taste for a moment. He leaned down to his side and rumbled, turning his neck over to her. Calia felt his eyes upon her and she turned around. Her eyes locked onto his. There it was, that deep sadness he had. And there was the longing, the longing to reach out and touch her. Then, there was something else, something she did not want him to admit to her because she would not admit it to herself. Love. He did love her. She balled her fists tightly, fighting off that emotion. Those eyes though, it brought her back to when she was a teenager, first seeing him.

Lord Daval Prestor.

He was so handsome, so...dreamy. She wanted him to notice her, to take her in his arms. He was everything she could hope for in an intelligent, heroic, stately noble. The perfect husband.

Neltharion also shared that handsome face even in dragon form, despite the metallic jaw bolted onto him. He was rather handsome for a dragon.

Dark beauty.

Calia shook those thoughts way. No, Prestor was the man who raped her, who stole her heart only to destroy it. Neltharion was...Neltharion _was_ different. Calia rose up and walked over to the head. She took in a deep breath and placed a hand on his snout. She heard him purr at her touch, a thrum rumbling through his throat. He pressed up against the hand, enjoying just that much of her touch on him. She patted the snout again and then slowly let her hand drop. Neltharion moved his massive head closer. Calia backed away, unsure of what he was going to do.

"Just stay still," said Neltharion deeply to her. "It'll be alright."

He gently slid his whole head to her, pressing his scaly, enormous cheek up against hers. Calia tilted her head slightly, feeling him gently rub his cheek against her body. He paused only to stay like that, his cheek against her form, letting her listen to his low thrum. Calia lifted a hand to him, laying it on one of his enormous, cheek scales, brushing it slowly. Neltharion closed his eyes, smiling, loosing himself in this quiet moment. Then, he pulled away. Before he completely pulled away from her, he gave her one final, gentle nuzzle with his snout. The Black Dragon laid himself down onto his side, curling his body around her camp protectively. His emerald eyes continued to sparkle as they watched her.

"What am I going to do with you?" Calia asked. "I...I don't even know how to respond to that."

"But you did anyway," said Neltharion. "You don't have to say it. I already know you do. My consort."

"You...I..." Calia began. "Oh my god. We, how can we? I'm not...you're not." She stamped her foot on the ground. "Oh...we'll figure this out after the mission!"

Neltharion chuckled, laying his head on its side.

"And don't call me your consort!" Calia said as she got under the covers. "I mean it!"

"But you are," he said.

"For now," said Calia. "Until we...get that divorce."

"Do you want one?" Neltharion asked. "Honestly?"

"Do you?" asked Calia.

Neltharion rumbled a sigh: "I...don't know now."

"Ysera is right," she said. "About us. How did this happen?"

"It happened years ago," Neltharion replied. "We were never able to act upon it until now. Deathwing is gone...mostly. I can finally share with you those feelings I had decades ago. And you can do the same for me."

Calia shook her head: "Don't expect me to just come leaping into your arms right away."

"I won't," said Neltharion. "It's best to take things slowly. But it doesn't mean I won't dream about it."

"It's not even right," she said. "You and I. I can't give you black dragons to rebuild your flight, what kind of wife would I make for you?"

Neltharion lifted his head up: "I'm not the sole progenitor of my flight, Calia. And now, I don't think I want to be. My flight can take care of itself. It doesn't want me anymore." He moved his head slightly closer to her. "I'm glad we can talk like this."

"Should we be talking like this?" asked Calia. "Discussing these things? Us? Why did this happen?"

"Don't ask why," said Neltharion. "I'm not going to. My brother Malygos told me to find the strength I need to be the Earth-Warder. Calia, I believe you are that strength I need. You're the thing that keeps the part of me that's still Deathwing at bay. You proved that earlier. I would have destroyed this whole place if you haven't had done that."

"You would," she said. "And I was able to stare him down. I'm not scared of him anymore."

Neltharion drew his head closer to her only to nuzzle her gently again.

"Good," he whispered. "He's a bully, that's all. Take a way the fear and then you take away the bully's powers. I won't let him harm you ever again."

"You keep saying that," she said.

"I mean it," he said. Neltharion pulled away from her and settled back down on his side. "Good night, Cali"

"Cali..." Calia said with a slight smirk. "Fine, you can call me that too."

Neltharion chuckled deeply and closed his eyes, falling into slumber. This was the first step, he thought in his dreams. Perhaps the next step would be her sleeping up against him so he could keep her warm like he did on that island. She was beginning to trust him now and the last thing he wanted to do was betray that trust.

As Neltharion slipped off into his dreams, he heard the sound of a childlike laugh echoing through the ethers. His sister was watching again, clapping her hands. Ysera was happy. He almost could feel that happiness echo through her flight as well, who all joined in her laughter. Then, he heard another laughter joining in with Ysera's, one voice deeper than hers. It brought a tear to his eye, but also a smile on his face. It was Malygos. There was the Blue Dragon, shifting through the arcane energies of the world, watching over both of them. He too was happy for this moment.

_Your strength_, Malygos said._ You are beginning to find it again. I am so happy for you, Neltharion. This is the connection you needed._

He was so happy to see Malygos smiling at him again even if it was just in his dreams.


	12. XII

**XII**

Myzerian walked with purpose into Commander Schnottz's main hut at the seaside of Schnottz's landing. He just got the report from one of the air elementals. There was no doubt about it now. Deathwing had betrayed them all. He was not Deathwing. He was Neltharion.

He was a traitor.

He was no leader.

He has abandoned his flight.

Myzerian had never felt so much anger and frustration before. Deathwing was here, in Uldum and he was working against all that he planned. Neltharion was correcting the mistakes he made as Deathwing. He was ruining everything.

They had to get moving now, they had to find what they needed before Neltharion could stop them.

He pushed his way through the door to find the Blood Elf Belloc Brightblade standing up against the wall, his arms folded. His glowing green eyes looked to the black dragon in human form and his head dipped in acknowledgement. Belloc was dressed in a white zoot suit and fedora hat. Around him were guards armed with guns. In the center though was Command Schnottz, pacing up and down in feverish fury. His small fists were balled up tightly and his face was twisted in a scowl. Sweat flowed from his brow. Myzerian stopped before the commander and his muscle flexed in further frustration.

"It's about time you showed up, dumkopf," said Commander Schnottz. "I got the report that Dr. Jones managed to get the Obelisk of the Stars working. He is one step closer to our plans. I vill not shtand for this!"

"We have more problems than that," said Myzerian. "I have been talking to the elementals working for Al'Akir. Guess who showed up?"

"Who?" Commander Schnottz asked.

"Deathwing," said Myzerian.

"Deassvink is coming here?" asked Commander Schnottz. He grabbed Myzerian and pulled him over to the corner. "Vhy? I am doing everyzhink he vants me to! Vhy his he coming? Is he not satisfied vith vhat I am doing for him?"

"That is not it," said Myzerian. He knelt down to the goblin and his fiery eyes focused upon him. "Deathwing is _not _Deathwing anymore."

"Vhat?" Schnottz asked. "Vhat do you mean by zhat?"

"My father and lord...the leader of the Black Dragonflight, had his sanity returned to him," said Myzerian. "He does not want to watch the world burn, he does not want to remake it for the glory of our flight. He is here now to stop us from getting to the device."

"Vhy?" Schnottz asked. "I have done everything! He promised me that I would rule the vorld once he was finished vith it! Backstabbing...how could he do zhis?"

Schnottz looked back to Myzerian.

"And you?" he began. "Vhat about you? Vhy are you still here? Vhy have you told me zhis?"

"Because I wish for us to continue the plan even if my former glorious master decided to abandon it," said Myzerian. "My mind has been freed from his control, it means I have my own thoughts, my own independence. This means I am free to do what I want. And it also means that I want to continue where he left off. He may have abandoned the plan, but I will not. My father's new found sanity has made him weak, saddened, cautious." Myzerian leaned up. "He doesn't want to hurt the poor, little innocent creatures of Azeroth anymore! He wants to save them. It means he will be overly protective and possibly overly foolish as well. But he must be taken down, he must be stopped."

"Good," said Schnottz. "Vhat do you propose we do about your father?"

"I will handle the Earth-Warder," said Myzerian. "You may continue on searching for the device. When this is done, and I gain his powers, I promise you as the new Aspect of the Black Dragonflight, I will let you have all that you deserve, my friend."

"Excellent," said Schnottz. He sighed in relief and then walked away. Myzerian gave a crooked smile as he watched the goblin prod off. That was when Jet and Sid walked into the bunker, also in their human forms. Both black dragons bowed before Myzerian.

"Lord Deathwing is in Ramkahen," said Sid.

"Do not call him that!" Myzerian called. "He is not our lord anymore. He is nothing to us! He is a traitor to his flight and he should be banished from it, his title and power stripped."

"What do you suggest?" asked Jet.

"I suggest I become the new leader of our superior and glorious flight, not Neltharion," said Myzerian. "Neltharion is weak and pathetic. He is no lord to me now...no father to me anymore."

"He has abandoned us," said Sid. "First with the creation of the Twilight Dragonflight, now...this. We have no leader anymore."

"I will be the leader!" Myzerian called. "As my sister and brother have failed...as my mother has failed and my father, I will take up the leadership."

"Does it even work that way?" asked Jet. "How can one just become an Aspect while the actual Aspect still lives?"

"Then, he must die," said Myzerian. "And I will take his powers for myself. I will become the new Deathwing. This world will belong to us...the Black Dragonflight, the true masters of the world. When Schnottz is done, we will take this world back for ourselves. Schnottz will have his reward when we are in control."

"Are you certain you wish to do this?" asked Jet. "To our lord?"

"He is not our lord!" Myzerian shouted. "And you two will do as I say! Go."

The two black dragons bowed and walked out the door. Myzerian let loose a huff, shaking his head. His eyes continued to flash with heated rage. He felt a presence in his mind, like he always had.

_The Earth-Warder is still very strong, do you think you can best him?_

"I must try," Myzerian whispered to the voice.

_He has age, power, he is almost a god in his own right._

"He is nothing."

_Bold move to proclaim yourself as the new Deathwing while the original still lives._

"If I must, I must," said Myzerian.

_He will try to stop you. He will do all he can to save Azeroth from the madness that took him._

"If he tries, I will end his new found madness...and betrayal. I will end him. Neltharion will be no more, not in mind, not in body."

_Good!_

_Kill him!_

_He is of no use to us anymore._

_He still suffers from the effects of Deathwing's hold. Not even his powers will obey him._

_He will be an easy target for you to take down._

_Make him suffer, Myzerian._

_Be the new Aspect of Death._

Myzerian's eyes narrowed and he grinned. The new Aspect of Death. There will be a new Aspect of Death.

The old must die first.

0

_New Aspect of Death..._

_Kill the old..._

Neltharion jerked awake, gasping when he heard those voices in his head again. They were the whispers of the Old Gods, but they were also something else, the other voice he heard trying to contact him. It was that black dragon who was in charge of Schnottz's mission. He recalled he sent someone important down here, someone that Deathwing could trust. Now, that being had turned upon him. Neltharion still could not remember the name, but the voice sounded even more familiar. There was hatred there, hatred for him. Still, he wondered if the rest of the Black Dragonflight shared this one black dragon's feelings.

This black dragon intends to kill him and become the new Black Aspect.

_What do you have to say to that, whelp?_

_What are you going to do?_

_You should fight him!_

_Kill him!_

_Prove to all your flight that no one disobeys Deathwing!_

_I am not Deathwing anymore! _Neltharion said to the voices. _I will not kill him. I will reason with him. I will make him see, make them all see that I do care for them._

_They believe that you have abandoned them._

_I have not!_ Neltharion said, shaking his head. He let loose a growl, snorting out a whiff of smoke.

_They want to see you destroyed!_

_The father who abandons his children does not deserve them._

_You are worthless to them!_

"I am not worthless to anyone!" Neltharion bellowed loudly.

His roars awoke Calia. Though, she knew it was time to get up anyway. The sun was starting to rise. They needed to get to Dr. Jones so they could see what their next plan of action was. Hopefully he was not so caught up in his work that he forgot about them. Calia pushed back the covers and looked up at the bellowing Black Dragon, staring up at the sky, talking to no one.

"I have not abandoned them!" he said. "Not abandoned them. I love them. I care for them. They are my family!"

_They were nothing to you._

_And now, you are nothing to them._

Neltharion lowered his head, his heart sinking down into his stomach. Despite his immense size, he felt so small, so insignificant at the sound of the whispers.

Nothing. He was nothing to them. Nothing to anyone.

Neltharion, with one last desperation, tried to reach out to his flight. He wanted to hear their voices. He only heard silence. His body trembled, he clawed the ground. Neltharion folded his wings around his body, feeling a chill rise up his spine. Not even his molten core could keep him warm. He was freezing. He trembled violently, trying to wrap himself up tightly as best as he could. He found no warmth in his wings, no warmth in the air and no warmth in himself. All he could feel was the frozen waves of solitude.

Calia walked around him, noticing him shiver and shake.

"Nel?" she asked. "Nel? Are you okay?"

"Cold," he said. "I'm so cold."

"Why?" she asked.

"Alone," Neltharion replied. "My flight...I can't hear them anymore. I can't hear their voices. They've...they've cut me off!"

"You cut them off first," she said. "You didn't want them to know what's going on because you don't know if some of them are still with the Old Gods."

"They're all still with the Old Gods," said Neltharion. "I'm the only black dragon that isn't corrupted. I'm...I'm alone." His wings parted and he raised a claw up to his head. Calia could hear the sound of his breath tremble as he broke into a sob. "I still hear their voices, but I am fighting them. And it pains me to realize that despite my redemption, my flight was not saved. My sins still burn within them. They want me dead! They are angry at me for shoving them away to create what I believed was a superior flight. They want me dead, they want another Aspect to take command, one who they believe will be better than I am. They don't want me anymore." He lowered himself to the ground, curling up under his wings. "I am alone. I have no one."

"And what the hell am I?" Calia asked. "Nothing to you? You have no one, and yet...here I am. Don't I exist in this...flight thing you have?"

Neltharion's wings parted and he peered at her.

"You...you don't even want me," he said.

"I don't know what I want!" Calia shouted. "I...you...have me. As a friend, as someone you can turn to that isn't Alexstrasza. And you have Ysera, she seems really nice. And apparently the ghost of Malygos. And Thrall. Do we matter?"

"I didn't mean that..." Neltharion sighed, looking away. "I'm...I'm sorry. I didn't mean that...I...just got kicked out of my own damned flight, Calia. And I'm their leader, I'm their father, and they kicked me out, disowned me."

"Who precisely kicked you out?' she asked. "Was it a unanimous vote? Did they all get together and just say: 'We're kicking Neltharion out. He sucks. He's gotta go'? Who was it that did that?"

"I heard the voices," said Neltharion. "They were talking to the dragons I sent here. They want to be rid of me."

"Three dragons want you out and you're upset about that?" she asked.

"When I heard that, I then heard silence," he said. "I tried to contact the others and heard nothing."

"Nel, your powers aren't working right anyway," said Calia. "Maybe that's what's happening."

Neltharion leaned up and sighed, his huge shoulders slumping again. He curled his bladed tail around his legs, swishing the tip around and stirring up the sand. Calia sighed, walked up to the tail. As soon as it swished over to her, she took hold of the blade tip and held it still. Neltharion leaned down, his eyes still on her. The sun began to shine upon his face, causing his black scales to glisten again.

"Do you want me?" he asked. "As more than just a friend?"

"Don't ask that question right now," she said. "Nel, I just want to say that you're not alone in this."

Neltharion rumbled out his frustration, turning away from her.

"Nel..." Calia said. "What good would I be to you? Someone who lives for thousands of years and I...I only have a few decades left. How can you get with someone like me? My life is like a spark in the dark compared to yours."

When she did not receive an answer from him, she shook her head.

"Let's just focus on the mission," she said. "We're running out of time. I'll go find Dr. Jones. You just get the harness on."

Neltharion watched as she got dressed. He slowly began to buckle the harness on his neck, tightening the straps securely. Calia walked through the city of Ramkahen as Neltharion continued to get ready for the flight. She passed through many of the tol'vir there but did not see Prince Nadun. She suspected that he was sent off to a mission of his own. There was an air of hostility in the city, though not directed towards her. She could see the Ramkahen sharpening spears and making arrows, getting ready for battle against their stone enemies of the Neferset. Standing near a Ramkahen merchant was the caravan leader Adarrah. Beside her was Budd. All three of them were talking about the outside world, which was of grant interest to the merchant himself. It seemed he hoped that new traffic from the outside would come to Ramkahen City once the issues with the Neferset was over. He handed her some of his necklaces and bracelets as a sign of advertisement of his store. Calia walked over to them and waved. Adarrah and Budd waved back.

"Hey," said Adarrah. "Good morning. How did you sleep?"

"The sand was a bit rough, but because Nel had his night cap, we had a nice rest," said Calia.

"Deathwing's gotta have a little drinkie-drink before going to sleep?" asked Budd.

"Yeah," said Calia. "He does. It helps keep the Old Gods away. Adarrah, I'm here to see if Dr. Jones is ready. I hope he's got the information we seek. We really need to get to that Obelisk."

"I'm afraid you just missed him," said Adarrah. "Apparently, he got word that Schnottz's men are there first, trying to activate the Obelisk of the Sun. He wanted to stop them himself."

"He went on without us?" asked Calia. "Where's the Obelisk?"

"Over on that big cliff there," she replied. "The Obelisk of the Sun. You better hurry if you want to help him."

Calia huffed and rushed back towards Neltharion. He was getting the last of the buckles secured.

"I'm all set," he said. "Where's Dr. Jones?"

"He's gone," said Calia. "Off to the next Obelisk on his own. Adarrah told me where he's is. We need to make it to the Obelisk of the Sun. Schnottz's men are there."

"Oh, wonderful," said Neltharion. "I wonder if one of the black dragons are there too."

"One way to find out," said Calia as she climbed up on his shoulders. She fastened herself in. "Okay, let's go!"

Neltharion spread his wings and launched himself into the air, taking the first few downbeats. The sun slowly rose up in the east, casting light over a silhouette of a tall obelisk and a sphinx statue on a steep cliff. Neltharion angled his wings and flew upward over the obelisk, circling it. There, he saw gyrocopters all grouped together with more humans dressed in green uniforms loading up equipment. There were tents sprawled around the obelisk itself and a line of biplanes along runway lights. One of the planes was on fire. Men began to scatter just as they saw the massive Black Dragon circling the obelisk. He blew the tops of the tents off with his wings, scattering paper and anything else that was not tied down. Beside a turboprop cargo plane was a large, burly looking man with no shirt and a pair of leather pants and boots. He was swinging his fists at Dr. Harrison Jones. Jones rolled over, dodging the angered swings and lunges of the much larger human.

"Dr. Jones!" Calia called from Neltharion's shoulders.

The human stopped, hearing the sound of the woman's voice from atop the Black Dragon. He slowly drew away from Jones and then started for the cargo plane, trying to hop into the cockpit. Neltharion growled and slammed his claw onto the plane, smashing it.

"Holy!" the man shouted, running away.

"Oh, I'm sorry," began Neltharion. "Did I break your little toy? I have to be more careful where I step!"

He landed upon the edge and clung to the side of the cliff, digging his claws deep into the rock. He lowered his head down and Calia hopped off. The bare-chested man darted off from the wreckage of his cargo plane.

"Hey, Nel," began Jones. "I've got that guy. Could you just do me a favor and keep the rest of them off my back? And try to keep the rest of them from loading the rest of the stuff onto the planes! Without incinerating them."

Neltharion chuckled and nodded.

"Ms. Hastings, there's some valuable archeological pieces here," said Jones. "Look through the crates to find those pieces. They're apart of an activation device. Go find those pieces for me. That other guy I was fighting, I'll handle him myself."

Neltharion climbed around the cliff side and then pulled himself up. Several of the pilots quickly rushed over to their planes and took off, buzzing around the Black Dragon's head. A claw raced out and took hold of one of the planes, smashing it in a fiery explosion. Another plane raced up his spine, firing its machine guns upon his metallic plated back. The bullets ricocheted harmlessly off of the plates. Neltharion turned back to the plane and shook his head. He let go of the cliff and dove down the side. Righting his body, he swiftly opened up his wings. With one powerful downbeat, Neltharion shot back up into the air. He caught up with one of the planes, opened his mouth only to snap it shut again. The plane exploded. Another plane spun around, firing upon one of his wings. Neltharion jerked as the bullets punctured tiny holes into the black, leathery membrane. He felt his left wing falter, sensing the tiny pricks upon the membrane. The Black Dragon spun downward, latching onto the cliff. He slid a ways down, his claws creating gashes on the rock. As another plane dove towards him, Neltharion lifted his tail and swatted it, sending it flying into the cliff. He felt something pelt his neck, then explode upon his neck. Neltharion growled, his head jerked back from the explosion. There was pain, but not so much that he would be affected by it. The explosion only served to annoy him. His head jerked again, thrown back by another explosion. Two planes criss-crossed his back, coming around to fire two more missiles. The first plane to fire upon him came about. Neltharion turned to him, his eyes narrowing. With one deep breath, he unleashed his fire upon the plane, incinerating it instantly. He swung his head back around and his fire exploded upon the other plane. His enemies vanquished, Neltharion made an attempt to open his left wing. He gave it a slight flap, but swiftly snapped it back. He could feel the sting of the holes in the membrane as air rushed through them.

There was only one way of getting back to the top and it was not through flight.

He had to climb back up.

Up top the cliff, Calia pulled out her rifle as the men charged for her. She fired her shot, planting a decent whole into one and then smacked the other in the face with the butt her rifle. He fell over, bleeding nose, squirming on the ground. Calia shoved her rifle into his ribs, hearing them crack. A gunshot sounded from her side and she felt the bullet pierce her painfully in the shoulder. She fell over from the force, holding to her wound tightly. Calia grimaced, ignoring the pain in her shoulder as she gripped the rifle tightly, lifting herself up off the ground. Despite the fact she could not use her right arm well anymore, she could still use her left. However, reloading with one hand in pain was difficult. She tossed away her rifle and grabbed the semi-automatic assault rifle one of Schnottz's men had used instead. Rising back up, dodging the next bullet, she fired on him, filling him full of holes.

She felt her heart pound in her chest and her wound throb. Calia swung the rifle over her shoulder and gripped the bullet wound tightly. Though her head had begun to swim, she fought off her weakening body. She was loosing blood and she began to feel her skin go tingly numb. Stars flashed in her vision. She was grateful he did not shoot her in the left shoulder, but that did not stop the pain nor her increasing fatigue. Calia gasped and looked around, trying to find where Neltharion had gone off to. She needed him, or rather the healing kit attached to his saddle bag. There were bandages and a healing potion she needed and he had them.

She hobbled over to a tent, hoping to find some sort of first-aid kit in there. Her mind was screaming in agony and she gripped the wound tighter. Calia took off her shirt wadded it up and pressed it up against her wound. Calia felt the ground tremble beneath her and she slowly looked out the opening of the tent. She saw a massive black claw rise up and slam down onto three other grunts belonging to Schnottz. Calia winced again, her body began to shiver.

_Neltharion..._

_Cali?_

Calia looked down, falling to her knees. She turned her head slightly to find a crate in the tent with her.

_Nel..._

She heard the Black Dragon growl and the tent was torn off of the ground. Neltharion tossed the tent away from her, gripping it with his teeth. He knelt down to her, his eyes wide with horror.

"Cali!"

"Healing kit..." she said. "Now..."

Neltharion reached up and unbuckled the harness, letting it drop with a thud before her. She heard the sound of footfalls rushing towards her. Calia turned around to find Dr. Jones kneeling down to her.

"The...healing kit," she said.

"Hang on," said Jones. He opened up the saddle bag and brought out the kit.

"Don't...pull it out..." said Calia.

"Don't worry," said Jones. He held the wound and then began to dress it. "You are one tough lady, ma'am."

"You wanna know how tough I am?" Calia asked, grunting as he tied it. "I'm..full of all..sorts of bullet holes."

"Hope they didn't leave in all that lead," said Jones.

"Not all of it," she said.

Jones looked down to her sides seeing the strange burn scars around her hips. Cracks around the scars appeared to glow a dull red somewhat similar to the splits around Neltharion's body.

"What is this?"

"Long...story," said Calia. She turned to eye Neltharion, her blue-green eyes flashing with a bit of anger. Neltharion focused upon the scars and his head lowered in shame. Calia turned to a crate. "There. I found...something. And while I was fighting off those guys...I got some codes."

She pulled out a paper and handed it to Jones.

"There's a healing potion in the pouch," said Neltharion. "It'll stop the bleeding at least."

Jones got up and brought out the healing potion and handed it to Calia, letting her drink from it. As she drank, he turned back around to the crate. There was a lock on top and a code needed to be entered. He brought out the paper and input the code into the lock. With that the crate opened, revealing a golden box glowing inside.

"This is it," he said. "The activation device for the Obelisk."

Jones looked up and came to Neltharion.

"Listen," he began. "I'll stay with Calia. It'll take time before the healing potion starts to work. I need you to go down into the Chamber of the Sun and take care of this for me. Activate the Obelisk."

Jones laid the device into Neltharion open claw. It was a tiny lens.

"According to my there's a statue below," said Jones as the Black Dragon rose up. "If you use that lens, you may be able to get this thing going. We don't have much time, those guys already made off with a lot of valuable research and Titan technology."

"What about the mortal you were fighting?" Neltharion asked.

"I took care of him," said Jones. "Don't worry, I'll take care of Calia's wounds. Just get that thing going!"

Neltharion rumbled, padding off with the lens in his claw. Harrison Jones looked back to Calia. He pulled something out from his pocket.

"I found something on the man," he said. "This may be of more use to you than me."

In his hand was a brochure and a picture of a goblin on the front. The goblin looked stiff, his face scowling. The brochure was calling for any able-bodied fighters (mercenaries) to join his team. Calia sighed and grimaced from the pain.

"Commander Schnottz," she said.

Within the brochure was a map of a camp on the east bank of Uldum. The camp was called Schnottz's Landing.

"Bingo," said Calia. "We got him." She lowered the brochure. "Thank you, Dr. Jones."

"Anything I can do to help," he said. "Disturbing delicate artifacts like this...it's not right."

"He's going to disturb a lot more than...you think if...he does what we think he will do..." said Calia.

0

Neltharion swung his enormous bulk through the cavern opening that lead into the Obelisk of the Sun. His great weight sent a mighty quake through the cavern and dust and loose rocks toppled from the ceiling. The cavern itself was similar to the Chamber of the Stars, lit by blue glowing scarabs, ancient, gold accented, tall columns, and strange, alien geometry and ancient murals lining the walls. There was a statue, similar to the four statues in the Chamber of the Stars as well, however, there was only one. This statue held a glowing, fiery ball in its hand. He slowly circled around the statue, which stood in as tall as his shoulder. Neltharion reached out towards the statue itself. His claw came to the glowing orb in its hand as he believed it was the thing that he needed. He felt the heat of the orb. It was as hot as the lava he bathed in during his time in Deepholm. He could take the heat, it no longer bothered him. Neltharion's eyes narrowed as he touched the orb. As his claw laid upon the orb, the guardian statue came to life with a quick jostle. The guardian swung a hard fist upon Neltharion's jaw, and with a metallic _clang_ knocking the Black Dragon back against the wall. His impact knocked loose a stalactite, which dropped and broke painfully on the dragon's crown. Neltharion moaned, his head swimming from the rock falling on his head and his vision blurred. The guardian fired fiery beams from its eyes upon the Black Dragon's flank, knocking loose an adamantine plate. The Black Dragon awoke from his daze, bellowing out in fury and agony as a spirt of his blood irrupted from the wound. He rose to his shaking feet, spying the guardian rushing for him.

Neltharion swung his tail around and his blade impaled itself into the stone guardian's stomach. The two titanic beings paused as Neltharion attempted to pull his tail out. The guardian latched onto the tail, holding it tightly in its grip.

"Oh...crap..." Neltharion swallowed, trying to jerk the blade out of the guardian's stomach. "Who's stupid idea was it to put a blade on my tail...oh wait...Deathwing's." He jerked on it again. "Of course, it was Deathwing's. Ah...damn it! Let go!"

The guardian raised a hand up with the other still holding tightly to Neltharion's tail. Neltharion snarled, lava dripping from his jaws as he warmed up his boiling magma. In the hand of the stone guardian formed the fiery orb, this time blazing brighter than before. This was not some decoration to the statue, this was a weapon.

"Uh...can we talk about this?" Neltharion asked. "Have I told you want lovely stone you're constructed from? Is that granite? No, marble. No...not oily enough to be marble. Has to be granite."

The guardian tossed the glowing orb at the Black Dragon. Neltharion ducked down just as the ball's blazing flight streaked between his horns and impacted upon the wall behind him, searing it. The ball stuck to the wall, melting into the stone. Neltharion looked back at the guardian as it began to charge up its beams again. He passed his eyes between the guardian and the orb and then made for the orb. Gripping the fiery orb in his claws, he threw it back at the guardian before it could fire its beams again. The guardian was thrown back, Neltharion's tail coming loose from its abdomen. Neltharion leapt to his feet, his girth sending another tremor through the ground. The guardian called forth another ball as the Black Dragon came to his feet and threw it towards him.

"I'm ready for you now," said Neltharion, swinging his tail to swat the glowing orb back towards the guardian. The statue fell backwards, its frontside burnt and blackened from the orb's heat. Still, the guardian rose to its feet.

"Okay, you're not made of granite," said Neltharion. "You're made of tungsten."

He warmed up his breath weapon when he saw the guardian began to charge up its eye beams again. The Black Dragon thrusted his head forward, unleashing his magma. The fiery liquid splashed and sputtered upon the guardian's legs, melting away the stone. The guardian toppled over and its stone cracked upon the floor. Magma bubbled and boiled around the shattered body of the guardian. Right in the center of the shattered head was a sparkling piece of the lens that Neltharion had in his claw. He leaned down and took the piece of the lens and carefully put the two pieces together.

He looked around, trying to find a place where he could put the completed activation device in the obelisk. Above his head was a platform lit by a golden glow. Neltharion moved towards the platform and reared upon his hind legs. Carefully, he squeezed his massive claws between the pedestal's pillars, growling painfully as they pinched them. Fumbling as best as he could, he placed the lens down on the pedestal and quickly removed his fingers. The Black Dragon felt the platform come to life as a fiery, orange and golden beam shot out from the center of the pedestal and up and out through the opening. Neltharion fell back onto his backside, watching as the beam intensified. The obelisk had come to life. He felt the piercing pain of his open wound on his side, reaching back to grip it. On the floor was the adamantine plate, torn free from his flank. Lava continued to drip from the wound. He walked over to the plate and picked it up. He breathed upon the plate, his fire licking at the surface until the metal glowed fiery orange. Then, Neltharion reached back and jabbed the plate in place, stretching it across the rip on his flank. He roared out from the pain of the cauterizing heat as the plate fastened in place. He gasped as soon as the pain dulled and took a moment to let the heat settle. Neltharion looked back at his left wing and extended it. He gave it a flap, testing to see if the pain had gone away. To his relief, it had. The sting of the holes were no more and the holes themselves would not hinder his flight. He slowly got out through the opening of the chamber and climbed out up the cliff. His mind focused upon Calia, focusing on her wound.

She was hurt, she needed him.

His wounds did not matter.

Only her.

As soon as he made it to the top, Neltharion saw the light of the Obelisk of the Sun sending forth its brilliant beam into the sky. The sun itself was rising up, casting its glow upon the side of the obelisk. On the flat, Dr. Jones was helping Calia up. She looked better, the healing potion was doing its job. Neltharion's face twisted in concern, still noticing her holding her shoulder where she was shot. Calia looked him weakly though and smiled, nodding reassuringly. Her smile faded when she saw the dripping magma from his flank where it still bleed from the rip. Jones looked back at the obelisk, his face gave a sense of triumph. Many of Schnottz's men had already scattered to the wind, either flying back to their base or running away in fear, realizing who it was that attacked them. They were not planning on coming back to pick a fight with the Earth Aspect now.

Neltharion walked over to Calia and Jones, grunting as he felt the wound stretch while he moved his hips. He settled himself down and stared upon Calia, his eyes focusing upon her wound.

"Calia..." he rumbled. "Are you..."

"I'll live," said Calia. "Trust me, I'll live."

His massive head came down to her and she reached out to his snout, feeling its pebbly surface. Neltharion pushed against her hand, letting her hear his deep thrumming purr. He angled his body, leaning his shoulder down.

"We need to get her back to Ramkahen," said Neltharion.

Jones began to climb onto Neltharion's shoulders and reached down to help Calia up. She grabbed hold of his hand and he hoisted her up onto the Black Dragon's shoulders. Calia seated herself on the harness and reached around with her one good hand to fasten herself in. Jones held on to her waist.

"I think there's a healer in Ramkahen that can make that wound just disappear," said Jones. "At least I hope."

"I...hope so too..." said Calia. "Nel..."

"I'll try to be as smooth as I can," he said.

He extended his wings, grimacing when he felt the stretch of rip on his wounded side. Neltharion kicked off of the ledge and began to glide himself down, angling for Ramkahen City. Neltharion turned his head, looking back at Calia. He sensed her fatigue and his lips pressed together, a frown drawing across his face. He tried to ignore his own pain, thinking of hers only.

Calia mattered.

Neltharion did not.

As soon as they got to the courtyard of Ramkahen City, Neltharion backwinged to land. He lowered himself down to the sand and helped Jones help Calia off his shoulders. Adarrah and Budd rushed out with a few of the other tol'vir. Jones held Calia up, taking note of her fatigue. Though his dressing managed to stop much of the bleeding, she did lose a lot of blood beforehand. Neltharion took off the harness and shifted to his smaller form and rushed to Calia's side. He was mindful of his own wound, making sure that it did not drip upon her. The last thing he wanted was for her to be further burned by him. Jones turned to see the widened rip on the dragon's side.

"You're hurt," he said.

"It's nothing," said Neltharion. "Nothing that a new plate can't solve."

"I don't think these guys have a way of making adamantine plates," said Jones.

Neltharion shut his eyes tightly: "I know. Calia!"

"I'm fine," said Calia.

Neltharion took hold of Calia's good arm from Jones.

"I failed, I said I wouldn't let anything happen to you and I failed," he said.

"Not...exactly a promise...you can keep," said Calia. "I'm alive...that much is true."

Calia sighed, shaking her head when she looked into his concerned eyes.

"Nel...I've...been shot in worse places," she said. "And...I've had worst things happen to me. You above all people would...know that."

"That's why I feel so horrible right now," Neltharion said. "To let another bad thing happen to you. Another on long list of them. And...a few of those I caused when Deathwing was in control. I let those happened...I couldn't do anything about them. But here...I could have...and..."

"And you kept those guys off our backs while I went...searching for what we needed," she said. "Just...give it a rest."

Adarrah signaled for one of her caravan travelers, a Tauren Druid, to approach them. Beside of them was a Ramkahen Shaman. Neltharion held onto her, helping her as gently as he could into a tent Adarrah had set up. He slowly laid her down on the bed of firs, kneeling down to her side. Neltharion did not want to let go of her hand, caressing it gently in his paw. Calia turned away from him, slipping her hand from his claw.

"I don't need your bedside manners, Nel," she said.

Neltharion sighed and slumped at her words. He looked to the shaman and the druid, who began their rituals. Adarrah motioned for him to leave the tent just so the two healers could work on her. Neltharion took in a breath and backed away, turning around for one more look at Calia. Her features were soft, her blue-green eyes focused on the ceiling. The Black Dragon backed fully out of the tent and came to Dr. Jones.

"I'm sorry," said Jones. "For what happened."

"She...knew the risk," said Neltharion.

"I have to ask something," he began. "Don't think I haven't noticed something about you two. How you look at her, how she looks at you. It's like you're both hiding something you don't want anyone to know. Then, I saw something on her when I was dressing her wounds. Burn marks on her hips that had areas that glowed dully red and orange. Kinda like what you do."

Neltharion shut his eyes tightly, holding back a sob in his throat.

"There's a ring on her finger, a wedding band," said Jones. "Encrusted with diamonds. Probably buy a whole town with that ring. How does an agent for Stormwind come about a ring like that? Or those burn scars? Would her line of work do that to her?"

"No," said Neltharion. He turned to the human, eying him coldly. "It's none of your business."

"Look," began Jones. "If I am going to work with either of you two, I gotta know the story."

"You already know I am Deathwing," said Neltharion. "Or I was. Everyone knows that. I can't hide it. Look at me. Look what Deathwing did to my body! Not even Alexstrasza could fix this. I'm still falling apart." He touched the plate that came off previously. "Then...look what Deathwing did to her."

"Deathwing gave her those scars?" asked Jones. "How?"

"He forced my body to perform some of the most unspeakable acts of violence and hatred," said Neltharion. "Made me watch every bit of it. Look what he could make my body do...even to the most innocent of mortals who did not deserve it. Calia...she was one of his victims. I had many mates, Dr. Jones, many. All loved me as I loved them. We had children...but then, when the madness overtook me, when Deathwing overtook me, my body changed. It became this. I burned with so much fire that the simple act of mating with my consorts resulted in their deaths. Only one survived, Sintharia, and she was badly scarred from it. Scars that look similar to what Calia has..."

"You mean you..." Jones began, pointing at the tent and then back to Neltharion. He looked at the Black Dragon with horror, stepping away from him.

"I was locked in my mind, I had no control over the actions of my body as the demon inside of me commanded it to do those vile acts," said Neltharion, wagging his head. "Calia...Hastings is only a name she took on to go into hiding from those who would come looking for her. She...was...Calia Menethil, Princess of Lordaeron, sister to Arthas and was supposed to be crowned Queen of Alterac. And me? I am...Lord Daval Prestor, or Daval Prestor I, King of Alterac and her husband."

"Oh my god..." Jones sighed, sitting down on a rock and taking off his hat.

"That ring I gave her is her wedding ring," said Neltharion. "Or rather, that was the ring Deathwing gave her to wed us with. She had no idea who she was marrying when it happened. And Deathwing violently consummated the marriage on that very night. I don't need to go into anymore details. I think you can see what exactly happened since you saw the scars."

"She survived...having sex...with you...with Deathwing..." Jones began. "How?"

"She's the toughest human I have ever met," said Neltharion. "I think what happened up there on the cliff is claim to that. A bullet to the chest is nothing to her...not after what she's been through as a teenager. Born to be delicate, mannerly, educated...now turned into that. She shot me in the eye, kicked me in the head, stabbed me in the neck, yank me, grab me, and I let her do it. After all what Deathwing has done, I let her do it. I...I can take it. I'm big, I'm powerful, I can take it. But...I..."

"Love her?" asked Jones. "Can't admit that can you?"

Neltharion lowered his head, exhaling out his frustration.

"She wants a divorce because we never got a chance to get one," said Neltharion. "I am willing to give it to her if she wants it so much."

"Do you?"

Neltharion could not reply to that vocally, however, he did shake his head.

"I love her..." he whispered. "I...don't want anything to hurt her ever again. She is the thing that can keep that part of me that is still Deathwing silenced. I supposed it's because seeing her now, seeing the strength she has and looking back on how just being in the same room with me slowly began to awaken me from my prison...I don't want to ever let that feeling go. I don't want to let her go. I feel if I do I'll loose a part of myself. I need her like a crutch almost because she was the first thing I could truly hold onto. But she pushes me away. And I think that hurts me more than the physical abuse she gives me."

"Can't expect her to just get over something like rape..." said Jones.

"We had that discussion," said Neltharion. "Trust me on that. But I do see those feelings in her eyes for me...but she fights it more than I do. It tears me up inside to see her fighting it. And I just go along with it because that is something she would want me to do. I agreed to it. She asked me what sort of mate she would make for me given her short life. A spark in the dark compared to mine, that's what she said. But I don't want to see it like that. I want to live for the moment even if it's a short while. I'll learn how to do that, live day by day, not century by century. Besides, I don't have long in this world either."

"What do you mean?" Jones asked.

"In 300 years," Neltharion began. "There will be an event, an event that happened just recently. The Embrace. It was proven by the recent appointment of the new Blue Aspect Kalegos that the Embrace can be used to transfer the power and knowledge given to a former Aspect over to a new Aspect. The problem being though...the former has to have died. That's what the other Aspects are waiting for with me. I'm just holding the seat now so that a new, purified black dragon who doesn't have my..._psychosis_ so to speak...my ability to hear the Old Gods' voices...take up my job. In 300 years, I will have to commit suicide to give up my powers and knowledge to the new Earth-Warder." He felt the sting of his tears as they rolled down his cheeks. "That is what they are hoping for. None of them want me as the Earth-Warder anymore, not after what I've done. But I can't die just yet or the whole planet might crack open...worse than it has. Think the Great Divide is bad? Imagine what it would be like if I were dead. I never realized it until now, I'm the thing that's keeping this rock spinning. You can't have life or nature or magic without a planet to put it on." He drew close to Jones. "I _am_ the planet."

"What black dragon would meet those qualities?" asked Jones.

"None of them if I am correct in my suspicions," said Neltharion. "I am the only good black dragon on Azeroth now, Dr. Jones. And I still hear the damned tentacle monsters. It's the powers I wield. I will always hear them unless there is a way of destroying them. And I fear the same for the new Aspect of Earth when he is chosen for the position. No matter if that black dragon is purged from the madness and corruption Deathwing did upon my flight, once he receives my powers...that will be the end. I'm barely holding onto my own sanity which is why I need Calia. This is the first time in 10 thousand years that I've had a mind to myself and I won't let anyone take it away from me. But it's hard to fight it. I've been weakened by what Deathwing did to me. I'm afraid of myself." He huffed. "It makes me sick that I'm just a placeholder in Alexstrasza's eyes. Even she still sees me as Deathwing. I'm nothing to her as well."

Jones looked back at the tent and then to Neltharion, who's head was lowered again.

"Look, I can't begin to give you any advice that could help," he began. "But the one I can give is just wait and see what she does. There's still a lot of research I need to do, especially if we are going to go after the next obelisk. I need to know what all we are doing by turning these things on. What is this device we're feeding power to."

Neltharion looked back at the archeologist: "Could it be the device I am searching for?"

"Probably," said Jones. "But again, I can't say. You still don't remember?"

"Somewhat," said Neltharion. "But not much."

"Coffer of Promise still doesn't ring a bell?"

The Black Dragon shook his head.

"Alright," said Jones. "Well, I'll let you know what all I find. But when she's better, maybe you two can check out that brochure I found?"

"Brochure?' asked Neltharion.

"Yeah," he said. "I found something on Schnottz." Jones handed Neltharion the brochure. "It's called Schnottz's Landing on the south side of Uldum. It's a newly established port town there passed the Ruins of Ammon." Jones stepped away. "Well, I'll be doing my research and I'll let you both know what I find. You take care and watch over her, okay, Earth-Warder?"

Neltharion grinned slightly with a chuckle as the human walked away. He then turned to the brochure, opening it up to read the map. With a deep growl, he stepped away from the tent, looking back at it. Calia was in no condition to face Schnottz. She needed her rest. However, the opportunity in stopping Schnottz was now. He had to try at least. Neltharion grew back to his full size and unfurled his wings. He kicked off, launching into the sky. There was fury in his eyes, fury that ignited them, making them glow like fire. He felt his body expand out, the rips widening, revealing the glowing, molten core underneath. His body ignited on fire and choking black smoke as he swiftly flew over the sand. His wings spread the smoke and fire, burning the tops of the palm trees in the oasis below, spreading ash on the ground. Though Deathwing had been banished, it did not mean that Neltharion could not feel that rage, feel the anger flowing through his being, burning inside his core. That rage was a part of him, maddening rage. Though the rage he felt was not from wanton madness caused by whispers from below, but of wanting to protect someone he dearly loved and finding he could not.

The anger had to go somewhere and Schnottz was responsible.

It was time for the little goblin to meet up with his master for one final moment.


	13. XIII

**XIII**

Calia breathed slowly as she opened her eyes. Her shoulder no longer hurt. She leaned up to feel it, noticing the bandages were gone. There was no scar on her shoulder where she had been shot. She looked about herself, seeing that she was dressed in white linen. There was a soft air of green all around her. She noticed she was lying on soft, short grass in the midst of rolling hills. The hills themselves looked like the rolling sand dunes around Uldum. The tent she was in was missing, so was Ramkahen City. Here, it was just lovely tropical forests. She had seen this before, though the landscape was different, the air of nature was the same.

The Emerald Dream.

Calia got up onto her feet and walked around. She looked for Ysera, thinking this was one of her tricks. She began to walk along the quiet path. Sparkles of blue, pink, purple, and green sped passed her. She heard the sounds of laughter coming from them, laughter that had never known sorrow or the struggles of life. She almost wanted to laugh with them, but her heart felt too heavy to do so. Calia came to an open field. She felt the wind blow through her brunette hair, sending a few soft locks into her eyes. She brushed them away and continued on into the field.

"Ysera?" she asked, looking around. "Ysera?"

She looked around, turning her back to the wind.

"Ysera?"

Calia gasped when she heard a powerful roar over the tree line. It was not a roar of anger, it was a roar of agony. Calia recognized that roar and she ran for it. She felt her heart pound as she made her way to the source.

"Nel!" she cried. "Nel!"

She tripped upon the uneven ground, falling on her hands and knees. The pain of her fall would not stop her as with determination, she got up again. Calia growled, her teeth gritted tightly, running for the sound. She dashed into the forest, weaving in and out of the enormous trees. She could hear the sound of her heart now pounding in her ears. She smelled a horrible scent as she neared the source of the painful roar. It smelled like burning and rot.

"Nel!" she shouted again. "Hang on, I'm coming! Nel!"

The green around her became grayer as she ran for the edge of the forest. As soon as she arrived, she came to another clearing. The Emerald Dream had changed, becoming like that of desolation. All around her, there was burnt rock and nothing else. She heard the bellowing roar once more and saw the black, massive form of Neltharion being hoisted up, entwined in enormous tentacles. Calia ran for him, across the blackened earth. Neltharion fought the tentacles with his might, slicing, clawing, spraying his fire. Yet, nothing worked. They twisted tighter around him, bundling him up and breaking apart his plates. His fiery blood oozed from the wounds, but did little damage to the tentacles. Calia finally reached him and the monster that held him. Before them was a tall temple with two spires. The temple was blackened slightly, but still held some of its majesty. Calia heard the stories of this temple from her youth. It was Wyrmrest Temple, the place where dragons meet, the only place they truly called home. Calia screamed as she dashed for the monster that held Neltharion. The only thing she could grab that would do as a weapon was a burnt stick from a tree. She snatched it up and raced for the monster, brandishing it as if it were a sword. She swatted at the tentacles holding Neltharion, desperately hoping that they would just drop him and pay attention to her. Neltharion turned his head and looked down, seeing her.

"Calia!" he called. "Calia, get away!"

_Foolish human, began a voice inside her mind. Do you think you can defeat us?_

"Let go of him, now!"

"Calia, please, just get away, now!" said Neltharion.

"I'm not going to let these things harm you!" she called.

"Calia..." he began. "No..."

_Do you want us to put the Earth-Warder down?_

"Yes!" Calia said. "Now! Or so help me..."

_Very well, human, the voice said. We will comply._

Calia watched as the tentacles rose Neltharion up higher. That was when they threw him onto Wyrmrest Temple, impaling him in the stomach with the spires. The Black Dragon bellowed loudly as his fiery blood spilled out over the temple.

"No!" Calia cried, running around to the front of the temple.

Neltharion lifted his shaking head up to her, coughing and sputtering up his lava blood. He clawed the side of the temple. She thought she could hear his voice calling for her between the gargles he made. Then, his head fell limp and his eyes closed. Calia fell to her knees, tears streaming from her eyes. She bent over, holding her stomach, crying out in horror and anguish.

_Why are you crying, human?_ Asked a familiar voice. _You don't even care about him._

_Let him die...he deserves it._

Calia looked up, hearing the voices around her. The tentacles that threw Neltharion upon the temple began to roll out towards her. She scooted away, her vision blurry from her tears.

_He hurt you so much._

_You don't care for him. You don't even love him._

"You don't know what my feelings are!" said Calia. "Go away!"

_How can you love a monster like him?_

"I...I don't..." Calia said shaking her head, her voice cracking between her sobs.

_This is his fate, you cannot change that._

_Let him die._

_He will get what he deserves._

"He doesn't deserve this!" Calia cried. "Neltharion..."

_Of course he does deserve it._

A tentacle came out and pulled up her gown, revealing the scars on her body. Calia snatched the gown away from it.

"How dare you?" she shouted.

_He's burned you, much like he has burned himself._

_An act of love became an act of violence._

_How can you even remain with someone like that?_

"It wasn't his fault..." said Calia.

_Was it?_

"You...he said you made him do it, you all made him do it," said Calia. "You put all that in his mind, in his body, you tormented him! Now, you're...you're tormenting me!"

_We are making you see the truth._

"What truth?" she asked. "You want to destroy this world we have."

_Only to remake it the way it was._

"It's not your world anymore!" said Calia. "It's ours. And Nel's the guardian of it. Just leave me and him alone."

_What love do you have for him? What love he has for you is wasted._

"You used him," she said. "Now...you're trying to use me. You destroyed my family, not him. Everything that has ever happened to this world was because of you. All of you. At least Nel is trying to fix what mistakes he has made. You just continue on with yours."

_And you continue to lie to yourself. It is not we who torment your soul, only yourself does that. However, it has made some rather interesting entertainment. Continue with your lies, human. Continue to lie to yourself of your true feelings for him. Love a murderer and a rapist, we can never understand your kind._

Calia felt the voice recede from her mind and the tentacles withdrew. She looked back up at the temple and the limp body of Neltharion impaled upon it. She weeped before the body of the Black Dragon. She did not know why she wept, she was sad for his death, but even more sad that she could not be with him.

She got up and looked around, seeing the corpses of the other dragons dotting the landscape. She also saw the massive forms of the other Aspects, dead all around the temple. There was Ysera, the one other Aspect she had gotten to know during her dreams. Calia lowered her head, feeling sorry that she never really got to know the Green Aspect who seemed rather attached to her and happy to welcome her to the family.

She had a family, a new family. And it was with Neltharion.

Here, in this dismal place, her family was gone, both human and now dragon.

Her heart ached and pounded again as she fell to the ground, crying in tears. He was dead, they were dead. Everyone she knew or even cared about was dead. She was alone in this dismal, bleak, dreadful world.

"Neltharion..." Calia began. "I'm so sorry..."

_Neltharion..._

_Neltharion..._

Calia turned her head on the bed of firs, gasping in the damp sweat. The druid shook her awake, placing her hand on her.

"Ms. Hastings," she began. "Ms. Hastings. Wake up."

Calia opened her eyes and jerked up, breathing hard. She winced and felt her shoulder. There was phantom pain coming from her shoulder, her mind still expecting it to hurt despite the fact she could not feel a wound there anymore. A bullet wound to the shoulder was an easy thing to heal for druids. However, the blood loss was significant enough for the druid to call for help. Her wound was no longer bandaged, but it was clean. She wore clean clothes gathered from her pouch on the harness.

"Neltharion..." she breathed. "Neltharion?"

"The Aspect of Death left just a while ago," replied the druid.

"What?" Calia asked. "Why?"

"I don't know," she said. "He left the harness behind."

"Damn it to hell!" Calia shouted, pulling the covers off of her. She got to her feet. Blood swiftly rushed to her head and she fumbled back, holding it. Stars appeared before her eyes and her head began to swim violently.

"Careful!" the druid said. "You have lost a lot of blood. We did heal you, but you will need to rest to regain what you lost back."

Calia slowly lowered herself back on the ground: "I can't rest. Where did Neltharion go?"

"I don't know," said the druid. "He was with Dr. Jones before he left."

"Get Jones in here!"

The druid nodded and then signaled for Dr. Jones to come in.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" he asked, taking his hat off.

"Where's Neltharion?" asked Calia.

"Right to business, huh?" asked Jones. "I believe he went off to Schnottz's Landing without you. You were in bad shape, so he decided to handle Schnottz himself."

"I'm gonna skin him!" Calia cried, her face flushing red and her hands tightening into fists.

"All the commotion we caused back at the Obelisk of the Sun has gotten Schnottz's men in a bind," said Jones. "Neltharion went off without you so he could catch up."

Calia sighed as she held her head: "I...I just can't believe he went off without me."

"I'm sorry," said Jones. "He was a bit upset and really, I don't want to get in the way of an angry dragon. So, I...didn't stop him."

"Nice," said Calia. "Help me up."

"Wait," began Jones. "You still need some rest."

"Unfortunately, my resting will have to wait," said Calia, taking hold of Jones' shoulder. "Nel needs me whether he knows it or not."

"Ms. Hastings!" called the Druid.

Calia sighed and tugged on Jones' shoulder. He slowly helped her to her feet and led her outside.

"Ms. Hastings!" said the druid again.

"I'm doing no good just staying here," said Calia. "If you got anything for constitution, then you better give it to me."

The druid sighed and brought out a flask from her pouch. She handed the flask over to Calia.

"This should give you some extra energy," she said. "And it will help in the recovery, but don't exert yourself too much. It's better that you lay down and rest rather than go off to save Deathwing."

"He's not Deathwing," said Calia. "He's Neltharion, the Earth-Warder. And...he's my partner. I never let a partner down on a mission." She patted Jones on the shoulder and he helped her out of the tent.

0

He felt like deja vu returning to him as he snuck around the rocky cliff looking out over the small port establishment. He could hear the sounds of the crashing of the waves and the smell of the salty sea air. He saw boats along the docks and some of them anchored just off shore. A few gyrocopters and turboprop cargo planes parked near a hangar and a runway further down the beach. Neltharion rose up from his hiding spot behind the cliff and and dove into the sand, burying himself. He shifted through the sand, winding his way over to one of the wooden huts. Neltharion popped his head out to find a clothes line and a large curtain hanging on it. He climbed out of the sand and shook the grains off. As swiftly as he could, ducked behind the hut just as a guard came out, looking around, though his bulk did not help in his stealth. Neltharion fumbled back, falling on several crates. His wing fell upon the clothes line, knocking it down. The guard paused and rushed over around the back of the hut, hearing the sound of wood snapping and an oomph sounding. He brought his rifle out and paused, seeing the Black Dragon now tangled in the line.

"What the hell?" the guard asked.

Neltharion struggled against the line, snapping it as he attempted to fight against the wire. He leaned up, his snout meeting the end of the barrel of the man's rifle.

"Um, hi there!" Neltharion said, giving a cheeky smile.

The man stood there, not sure exactly what he was seeing. It looked like Deathwing, but it was not the right size.

"Um," Neltharion began, pointing up at the sky with a free claw. "Oh, hey look, it's one of Orgrimmar's dirigibles!"

The guard was obviously not one of the smartest of Schnottz's men and turned around to see what it was the dragon was pointing at. Neltharion fumbled over as he attempted to get to his feet and swung his tail around, knocking the human down onto his side. The Aspect scrambled up and leapt upon the human, rolling him over to pin him down. His weight was enough to hold the human down as he squirmed under the dragon's bulk. Neltharion pulled back, curling his claw into a fist, and punched the human in the jaw. The human fell limp, knocked unconscious by the dragon's punch. Neltharion rose back onto his feet and took the rifle from the human. He softly touched the sand and whispered to it. At his command, the sand began to shift around the human's body, swirling around. His body slowly began to lower into ground as sand flowed over him like water, covering his body until every bit of him disappeared. Neltharion's head perked up at the sound of other guards rushing over to him and he swiftly snatched the curtain from the ground. He concentrated on the form of the curtain, it's shape, it's substance. As he concentrated, placing all of his power into the curtain's shape, it began to transform. The curtain grew out, turning into a faded black robe. Neltharion sighed for a moment, feeling a little fatigued. Though he managed to get his powers to work to transform the cloth, it took a lot out of him just to do it. He folded his wings in and put the robe on, covering his head with the large hood. He leaned back upon his hind legs awkwardly, and picked up the rifle. As if by command or by design, the rifle changed form, becoming a familiar weapon once wielded by Deathwing himself. It was a large, two-handed mace tipped with metallic spikes and glowing orange cracks, much like the molten core between his scales. It's surface seemed to be alight with fire.

Deathwing's mace.

Now Neltharion's mace.

Neltharion sighed and took hold of the straps, slinging the mace across his back. That was when the guards finally rounded the corner, seeing the robed, large figure standing there with the peculiar-looking, flaming weapon. The held their rifles out, aiming for Neltharion. The Black Dragon raised his claws up. All the while, he began to cast his mental gaze upon them, making them perceive him as something other than what he really was. That was one thing Deathwing could not take away from Neltharion, his powers over the weak-minded.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to cause a ruckus. I was looking for Commander Schnottz."

"Yeah?" began one of the guards. "What for?"

Neltharion reached into the robe and pulled out the brochure.

"I got this," he said. "It said he needs new recruits. I was hoping for a job. I'm kinda scrap for cash."

The guards eyed him with suspicion for a moment, turning their heads at the hulking robed figure. Neltharion grinned with some hesitation under the hood. One of the guards took the brochure, looked at it and then handed it back to the Black Dragon.

"Alright," he said. "You can go in. Schnottz is inside the middle hut, but I hear he's in a bad mood. You might want to speak to Belloc Brightblade first."

"Right, Belloc Brightblade..." Neltharion said. "Uh, who's he?"

"He's the archeologist in charge here," said the other guard. "A Blood Elf wearing a white zoot suit and hat. You can't miss him."

"Right," said Neltharion, giving a nod as he backed away from the guards. "Thanks. I...I appreciate that."

"And don't piss off the Commander!" the guard shouted as Neltharion made his way towards the center hut.

The Black Dragon noticed several other mortals hanging around the campfires where not dressed in uniform. These denizens of various races apparently were Schnottz's patrons. Neltharion wondered if they knew what all Schnottz was doing. He walked into the center hut, squeezing by the door. There, pacing up and down, with his hands behind his back, a dreadful scowl on his face, was a Goblin. The Goblin looked exactly like the one in the picture.

This was Commander Schnottz!

Over off to the left was a Blood Elf dressed in a white zoot suit and fedora hat. Neltharion walked around the Goblin and then came to the Blood Elf. He was obviously Belloc Brightblade.

"Yes," began Belloc. "May I help you?"

"I've come for a job," said Neltharion.

"We weren't expecting anyone today," said Belloc.

Neltharion pulled out the brochure and handed it to Belloc.

"Ah, yes," said the Blood Elf. "One of the Commander's brochures. I'll take that, thank you."

Belloc lifted his head and his glowing green eyes focused upon Neltharion's emerald ones.

"You have come to the right place, my friend," he began. "We have been looking for new fighters to join us. However, this sort of operation we are running, can be a bit stressful. The Commander right now is not in the best of moods. Until he is feeling better, why don't you mingle with our patrons...Mister...uh..."

Neltharion paused for a moment, trying to figure out a name he could give himself.

"Bob," he said.

"Bob?" Belloc asked.

"Bob," Neltharion replied. "That's my name."

"Short for Robert?" Belloc asked.

"Yeah," said the Black Dragon, blinking a few times.

Belloc then nodded to the name.

"Very well then, Mr. Bob...Robert," he said. "We have managed to gather some of Azeroth's illustrious figures for the culmination of our historical finding. When we unlock the secrets of this place, I am confident that you will find it captivating."

"No doubt," said Neltharion.

"Yes," said Belloc. His eyes narrowed at the comment. "Well. Try to get a feel for our guests and come back to me when you are done, Robert."

"Bob," said Neltharion.

"Bob seems like such a demeaning name for...someone of your caliber," said Belloc as Neltharion walked out of the hut. "Deathwing..."

He turned to Schnottz and slowly approached him, a smile growing upon his pale face.

"Commander," he began. "I have something to report."

"Vhat is it now?" Schnottz asked. "I'm trying to think!"

"That big, hulking figure in the robe..." said Belloc. "Did you notice him?"

"Notice him?" asked Schnottz. "Vhat about him? Who is he? Another slob wanting a job?"

They peered out the door seeing the robed figure walk over to a man named Ambassador Laurent. Belloc watched as the newcomer started to talk to him.

"That, my dear Commander," began Belloc. "Is Deathwing."

"Deasshvink?" Schnottz asked, his eyes widened with fear. "He's here? Deasshvink is in my camp?"

"He may have been able to fool beings of simple minds with his mental tricks, but not me," said Belloc. "The moment I looked at him, I saw who he was."

Schnottz looked over at the Blood Elf, his eyes narrowing at him for the remark. Belloc turned to the Goblin and raised his hands up.

"Not that you have a simple mind, Commander!" he said in defense of himself. "You were worried about the operation to even take notice of him! It's understandable. But your men on the other hand...they did not notice him."

"Flunkies you mean," said Schnottz. "Ja, zhey are zhat. Vhy is Deasshvink here?"

Remember what Myzerian said about his father Deathwing?" asked Belloc. "He said Deathwing is no longer evil. He has turned to the side of the other Aspects again, resumed his position as the Earth-Warder. This means he is trouble for us. He is obviously here to stop us."

"Ja," said Schnottz. "Exactly! I'm not going to let some big, bloated, fat ass of a dragon stop me from my world conquest! I don't care if he is Deasshvink! If he's a goodie good again, that means...he's a softy! A push over. I can take him on! No problem."

"Commander," began Belloc, shaking his head in dismay. "He's still an Aspect, one of the Five. Taking him on would be a bad idea. For now, let us watch him. He wants to act like one of our men, then we'll let him."

"Sounds reasonable," said Schnottz. He looked out the door again to see Deathwing continuing to talk politely to the ambassador.

Neltharion was enjoying his conversation with the Ambassador Laurent. For one, he seemed to be making a friend, however, his meaning to speak to him was to figure out if this man knew about what Schnottz was up to. Apparently, he seemed to be in the dark. Laurent's main concerns were the amount of weapons for an archeological dig.

"I understand there is always the risk of robbers coming into the dig to steal priceless artifact," said Laurent. "But it seems Schnottz has an entire army with him. What is being done with the unearth artifacts?"

"I don't know," said Neltharion. "I would like to find out."

"If you could tell me, uh...Mr. Robert," said Laurent. "I would appreciate it. I am trying to figure out on my own what sort of authority is this excavation being conducted. Is it under the authority of the Alliance, the Horde?"

Deathwing's...Neltharion thought, silently replying to the Ambassador's inquires.

"You seem troubled by my questions," said Laurent.

"It's nothing," said Neltharion, rising. "Thank you for your time. I need to go see about the others as well."

"Not a problem," said Laurent. "If you need to chat anymore, let me know."

Neltharion slowly hobbled over to the others as well, speaking with a Blood Elf starlet and an artist. Mostly, it was the same, they had no idea what Schnottz was doing here. Their presence here in Uldum was even a greater mystery to Neltharion. Why would Schnottz need these people here? The Aspect of Earth scratched his head through the hood, passing between each of the patrons, speaking to each and every one of them. Finally, he sat down next to a nicely dressed dwarf wearing a monocle. Neltharion shook his head, lowering it into his black claws. The dwarf walked over to him and poured him a glass of his fine wine.

"Here, my friend," he began. "You could use this."

Neltharion's snout twitched at the delightful smell of liquor. He needed liquor.

_Yes...get drunk!_

_Drink your heart's desire!_

_May your hiccups cause an avalanche!_

Neltharion shook off the horrible whisperings of the Old Gods and turned to the dwarf. He gently took the glass into his claw.

"A toast to our gracious host," said the dwarf. "And his achievement today."

The two clinked their glasses together and then drank from them. The wine was rather strong. Of course it was strong. This was dwarven wine.

"It is hard to believe this region has been hiding for so long," said the dwarf. "But now, it's secrets will be revealed for all the world to see."

The moment Neltharion had drank his glass, the dwarf filled it again.

"No sense in letting you go dry here," he said. "You're new in these parts?"

"Just...got here today," said Neltharion, holding onto his hood as he downed the glass.

The strength in the wine was already starting to give him a slight buzz due to his smaller size. He had a feeling that there was a bit of a cocktail mixture in this wine. The dwarf then took the glasses, only to bring out two new ones. He brought out a bottle of green liquid and poured two shots into both glasses.

"You should try the stronger stuff, my friend," he said. "You look like you need it."

"What is that?" Neltharion asked as the dwarf placed two silvery spoons with decorative holes on their surface on the two glasses. He brought out two sugar cubes and put them over the spoons.

"This is absinthe," said the dwarf. "Very strong stuff. Some say it causes hallucinations if you're not too careful."

Neltharion laughed: "Can't be as worse than the tar I drank in the Overgrowth. Some hallucinogenic cocktail that was mixed with the powdered mushrooms from that area. Specifically designed to help the people stationed there from being affected by the Emerald Nightmare. I drank that stuff and started seeing things upside down and all colors inverted."

"I assure you this won't do that," said the dwarf. "But it can be addictive. The hallucinations part is more controversy than truth."

He poor some cold water over the sugar cubes and allowed them to slowly dissolve into the green liquid through the spoon. Once the mixture was prepared, he handed the glass over to Neltharion, who then took it in his claw.

"Skoal," said the dwarf.

_"Ilepkiric,"_ said Neltharion, without realizing he had said it in Draconic.

"Excuse me?"

"Huh?" he asked. Neltharion gave a false cough. "Uh, nothing. Choked on this stuff. It is a bit...strong."

"Don't drink it too fast," warned the dwarf.

He continued to sit there with the dwarf, enjoying the supply of absinthe. Neltharion started to go into a drunken, giggling fit the moment he felt his tolerance reached. Of course the dwarf was already drunk before him, laughing just as jolly as he was. The moment he hit his tolerance, Neltharion began to hiccup. The ground trembled immediately afterward.

"What was that?" asked the dwarf.

"What...what was...was what?" Neltharion asked. "I...I felt...nothin'."

He hiccuped again, once more causing the ground to shake.

"That."

"Oh...that...that was a hiccup," said Neltharion.

"I was talking about the ground shaking," said the dwarf.

"Yeah...so was I," said Neltharion.

0

He was here! In this camp. Jethrian rushed out of the northern hut when he felt the earth tremble underneath.

Deathwing!

Jethrian saw a hulking figure shroud in a faded black robe with a familiar flaming mace on his back. There he was, Deathwing. That was Deathwing. The Aspect of Death was laughing, but there was no malice in his vice. He sounded drunk. Jet recalled to when he connected to the earth, feeling the joy. Neltharion had returned.

And there he was, drunk.

Jethrian's fists tightened when he saw the Aspect of Death merrily drinking away with the distinguished dwarf. Though his mind was not focusing on the fact that Deathwing was drinking...no...he went back to seeing Sintharia, mindless, completely submissive to Deathwing's ravaging libido in order to produce more Black Dragon eggs to be mutated into Twilight Dragons. Jethrian looked on with disgust as the lord of the Black Dragonflight swayed, his head heavy with alcohol.

_Time to move, time to end his charade,_ he thought as he started out the door. _For Myzerian and Sintharia. You will die, Deathwing!_

He mad a charge for the Aspect, his muscles tensing up as he approached from behind. Jet snatched the hood away from Deathwing's head, revealing who he really was underneath. Though, the mighty Black was too drunk to even care. He took hold of Deathwing's collar and pulled him from the dwarf and his alcohol. The Black Dragon fell backwards onto his back. Neltharion looked up to see the enraged, younger black dragon with fists balled and a grimace upon his face.

"Deathwing!" he bellowed. "I'm gonna kill you!"

"What?" Neltharion asked.

Jet let loose a powerful bellow and readied his fist for a punch. He slammed Neltharion in the jaw. He grunted as he punched the Aspect in the jaw multiple times, each one growing more furious than the last. Neltharion closed his eyes, completely numb from the pain of the younger dragon's fists. Jet pulled back, gasping for air. His fists ached from punching Neltharion's metallic jaw. Neltharion leaned up and chuckled deeply.

"You done?" he asked.

"You are a disgrace to our glorious flight, Neltharion!" Jet called, lifting the hefty form of the Aspect up by the neck. "A disgrace! And I will finely end you. A new Aspect will come, one that isn't you!"

"I...I...don't even...know who you...are," said Neltharion. He let loose another hiccup which trembled the ground. Jethrian dropped him.

"Get up!" Jet shouted. "Get up, Neltharion! Get up now!"

Neltharion rose to his wobbly feet, pulling out his mace to lean upon it. All around him the mortals stared with astonishment. He could hear them whisper "Deathwing" over and over again.

"Look at you!" said Jet. "Look at this! Is this what the Old Gods left behind when they abandoned you? A pathetic, useless, drunk? Is this what Neltharion used to be before he became Deathwing? This?"

Neltharion attempted to reply to that accusation upon his person, however, instead, he fell over. Jethrian snatched the mace from the Black Dragon's back and tossed it away.

"This was the being who turned the last of our broodmothers into a mindless sex object and egg factory!" Jet shouted. "To give birth to mutants while our flight, OUR FLIGHT, withers and dies! Sintharia is dead because of you! You used her, raped her!"

Neltharion rose his head up: "She's in a better place."

Jet let loose a powerful, inhuman wail and dashed for Neltharion once more. He leaned down and slammed his fist into the Black Aspect's side.

"How could you do this to us?" he bellowed. "I saw what you did, you ungrateful bastard! I saw everything in Grim Batol! How dare you? I will mount your head on the gates of Grim Batol! We did everything because you controlled us, you made us do it. We had no mind of our own! Now, we're free! Free to strike at the one who enslaved us! You are no father to us!"

Neltharion refused to fight back, letting the younger black dragon lift him up to continue to pummel him in the ribs.

"When I was born, I had no mind of my own!" he said. "When I was born, all I knew was your mind, your madness! And the whispers, those damned whispers! All I knew were nightmares!"

Jet gave one final powerful slam to Neltharion's ribcage and the Black Aspect let loose a growl and coughed, leaning over the younger dragon's shoulder. A small spittle of his fiery blood dripped from his jaws. Neltharion looked around him. The guards were confused, the guests were confused, everyone was confused. He raised his claws up to Jet and took hold of his shoulders. Then, he wrapped his arms around the younger dragon, breaking down into a sob. Jet took a moment and held his breath.

Deathwing was crying.

He could sense the emotions from his lord. Sorrow, anguish, humiliation. There was rage as well, but not Deathwing's rage. Neltharion's own rage was aimed towards the Old Gods, aimed at them for corrupting him and his flight.

"I'm so sorry!" Neltharion said. "I'm sorry! My dear Sintharia! My children! I've turned them all into monsters! The whispers, the Old Gods. They made me do it! I...I didn't have a mind much like you." He pulled away from Jet. "I didn't. I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please, forgive me."

Jet tore himself away from the Black Aspect, leaving Neltharion begging on his knees.

"There's nothing to forgive," he said. "Nothing. Because we cannot forgive. Myzerian won't forgive! You...tormented us! Be happy, Neltharion, you will be the first Aspect on Azeroth without a flight to command!"

With that, Jet vanished in a bout of flames, leaving Neltharion to weep on the sand. The Black Dragon clawed at the sand, sobbing loudly as tears flowed into damp spots on the ground. He coughed and sniffed, his vision blinded by his tears. In his drunken state, all emotion flowed freely as it once did when he was first freed from his prison. He lifted his head up slightly as the clicking sounds of loading rifles circled him. Neltharion blinked away his tears as best as he could, his vision slightly clearing. Schnottz's men surrounded him. Schnottz walked up grinning at the weeping Aspect.

"Vell, vell, vell, Deasvhink," he began. "Ve meet at last."

Neltharion's bottom lip trembled as he lifted a claw up, ready to strike down the goblin in front of him.

"Ah!" Schnottz cried. "I vouldn't do that if I vere you."

He pointed at the party guests. Guards circled them, pointing their guns at them. The guests had their hands up behind their heads.

"Now that you are no longer Deashvink," began Schnottz. "You actually care about little nobodies like zhem. Ja?"

Neltharion sniffed, tears still flowing from his eyes.

"Aw, zhe poor little lizard," said Schnottz. "Sad zhat not even your own family vants you? If you vant zhem to remain living, I suggest you come quietly."

He snapped his fingers and a guard took hold of Neltharion's arm, lifting him back onto his hind legs. The Black Dragon followed him over to a large pike in the ground. The guard pushed the dragon down and made him sit upon his rump, tying his forelegs awkwardly behind his back and to the pike. A few other guests were tied similarly beside Neltharion. Schnottz walked over to the Aspect.

"Zhis is a test," said Schnottz. "I know zhose ropes von't hold you. You're the Aspect of Death, ja? Or, vait, no, vhat are you called? Vhat did Myzerian say? Ah, the Aspect of Earth, ja? And I'm on zhe ground. You could just bust out and nothing vould matter, right? Only, it vould. Because if you do anything, I vill execute zhem. Verstehen?"

"I...I get it," said Neltharion.

"I am going to give a call to one of your sons...Myzerian," said Schnottz. "I'm sure he vould like to have a little family reunion vith you. However, I vant to know. Vhy are you here? Trying to stop me from getting to the Coffer of Promise?"

"Coffer of...Promise?" Neltharion asked, lifting his head up.

"Ja," he said. "Zhat! You ordered me vhen you were Deasshvink to come here and retrieve the Coffer. So, now, you're Neltharion, and you want to stop me! Vell, you von't!"

"The Coffer of Promise is the device?" Neltharion asked.

"Vhat?" asked Schnottz. "No! You told me it vas just zhe activation mechanism. The Origination Device is somewhere else. You don't remember?"

"A little fuzzy on that part," said Neltharion. "I'm here to make sure you don't try to activate the device."

"Vhy vould I do that?" Schnottz asked. "You vant me to steal it so no one vould be able to use it!"

"I did?" asked Neltharion. "I'm trying to stop you from using it."

He tugged on his ropes a little.

"Are you stupid?" asked Schnottz. "Is Deassvhink the smarter version of you or something? This is the guy who people have said is the smartest of all the Aspects. Must mean the others are completely dumkopfs! Vhy would I try to use it? If you use it, you end up killing the Old Gods vith it! You told me to steal the Coffer to keep anyone from using it as a last resort."

"Oh...shit..." said Neltharion, leaning back against the pike. "I was trying to stop you from using it so that you wouldn't reformat the planet for the Old Gods."

"It doesn't vork like that!" said Schnottz. "In fact, I asked you that question. You specifically said because it's a Titan's device, it can't be reprogrammed. Best to just disable it so it von't ruin your plans."

"Oh...yeah..." said Neltharion. "That's right. It can't be...then...why are you still after it? I'm not giving you the orders to...in fact I order you to stop this expedition since I'm the one in charge! And untie me!"

"You're not the one in charge, Deassvhink," said Schnottz. "Not anymore. I am. You see, the original plan vas once you vere done with destroying the vorld, I would remake it in my own image using the device. I vould activate it and them quickly exist to Outland while Azeroth becomes a new haven for me to rule! I vould be a god!"

He leaned back and posed powerfully, only making Neltharion shake his head.

"You're kidding..." said Neltharion.

"Nein!" shouted Schnottz. "Once I am done vith you and your flight, I vill be the one to rule Azeroth!"

"You gonna tell Myzerian that?" Neltharion asked.

"Schnauze!" Schnottz cried. "I vill deal vith him when I am done vith you! They may not vant you anymore, but I vonder what they vould do once you are really dead."

"I doubt you could kill me," said Neltharion. He looked back and sighed. "Not that I would stop you right now..."

Schnottz grabbed the Black Dragon's horn, pulling him close.

"Feeling suicidal?" he asked. "Das ist not good. I'll be happy to end your life if you vant. But I need you alive right now. And as long as you behave, zhen, they vill live. If you don't..."

His guards pulled out their rocket launchers pointing them at the hostages.

"You vill be cleaning a big mess," said Schnottz.

Neltharion's head lowered as Schnottz let go of his horn. He sighed and looked over at the other hostages. Some still stared at him, others just looked scared for their lives. The one who showed any sort of bravery was Ambassador Laurent. It almost appeared that he suspected this would happen. Of course, he did not trust Schnottz to begin with. He turned to Neltharion and gave a nod of reassurance. Neltharion smiled slightly at him.

An explosion sounded from behind the troopers. They leapt to the ground, tossing away their weapons as dust and debris flew out. Everyone ducked down, feeling sand pelt them. Schnottz spun around to the sound of the explosion.

"Vhat?" he called. "Vhas is that?"

Neltharion looked up to find both Dr. Jones and Calia swinging down to the ground. Jones landed and punched Schnottz, knocking him out.

"Calia!" Neltharion called. Calia scrambled for him and leaned down, untying him from the pike. Before she was able to rise up, Neltharion snatched her into his arms and held her close to him.

"Nel!" she said. "God..."

Neltharion rumbled, burying his face in her hair. Calia sighed and wrapped her arms around him, patting him on the back.

"Come on," she said. "Now's not the time. You can cuddle me later."

He let go of her and rose to his feet with her help. Jones and Calia began to untie the others as Neltharion walked over to his mace. Lifting it up, he turned to the fleeing humans belonging to Schnottz. He focused upon the ground they ran upon and gripped the mace in both hands. Neltharion slammed the head of the mace upon the sand, sending a quake rolling through the ground. The rumble rolled to their feet, causing them to trip and fall. The sand rose up around them, swirling around their bodies and dragging them kicking and screaming into the sand. The other men ran, leaving their weapons behind, making for the nearest jeeps and planes. Neltharion looked over to see Calia taking out the rest of the guards with the new rifle she picked up from the Obelisk of the Sun. Neltharion rushed over to Jones as Schnottz slowly came to his senses. Jones pointed a rifle at the goblin's head.

"Beat it, Schnottz!" he said, cocking the rifle.

The little goblin got his feet and looked around, seeing Neltharion grip his mace tightly. Then, he darted off towards one of the remaining planes.

"You haven't seen zhe last of me, Earth-Varder!" he called. His plane took off for the east.

Calia walked up to Jones, placing a hand on her hips.

"You're just gonna let him go?" she asked.

"While you were recuperating and Neltharion rushed off to face Schnottz on his own," began Jones. "I was researching on what we were looking for. Apparently, these Obelisks are connected to the Coffer of Promise, which has to do with a place known as the Halls of Origination."

Neltharion took a breath: "That's what I had Schnottz look for. That's the device."

"The device?" asked Jones.

"The Halls of Origination contains a device that can reformat the planet," said Neltharion. "Apparently, I sent Schnottz here to retrieve the Coffer for one specific purpose, to disable the device."

"Wait...what?" asked Calia. "But...but that's what we're doing. You mean to tell me we're doing exactly what Deathwing...you wanted in the first place?"

Her fists balled up and her face flushed red.

Neltharion sat down on the sand, shaking his head in dismay: "I...I couldn't remember why I was here. I just know that the device was capable of reformatting the planet. I was right in that, but not right about reprogramming it. Deathwing didn't want to use the device, he wanted to destroy it because the device could very well be the last resort to kill off the Old Gods if stopping the Hour of Twilight turns for the worst. The device has the power to kill the Old Gods because they are nothing more than bacteria infecting the planet. However, since the infect has spread to all of us, the device will kill us as well, disinfecting the planet completely. Then, new life can be made on a sterile planet. I sent Schnottz here to get the only thing that could disable it. The Coffer of Promise."

"And we have to find the Coffer before he does," said Jones.

"Yes," he said. "We do. He plans on using it to activate the device. Schnottz wants to destroy everything to remake this world himself."

"But that would kill him too," said Calia.

"He was hoping on Deathwing destroying the world for him so that he could just activate the device to rebuild life," said Neltharion. "Now I am not cooperating, I suppose he could use it as a threat to both the Alliance and the Horde."

"I'm afraid so."

They turned to the voice interrupting their thoughts to see Ambassador Laurent walking up to them.

"I am from the Alliance myself," he said. "And of course, many of these people are either Alliance or Horde. We all came here in mutual understanding that we both could gain something from this expedition. And we did. Schnottz has no love for either of us. With that device, he could bring both the Alliance and the Horde to their knees. We would have to do anything he says under the duress of total annihilation. Now that Deathwing no longer wants to destroy the world, a new threat has risen."

"You're not shocked by me being here?" asked Neltharion. "And...well...who I am."

"I received word from King Varian before I headed out that it was possible I would run into the redeemed Earth-Warder along the way," said Laurent. "He wasn't kidding. Here you are. I am glad that you are back on the right side of things, Neltharion."

Neltharion smiled, leaning against his mace again.

"We have got to stop Schnottz," said Jones. "And disable the device. Even if it does mean that our world would be cured of the Old Gods..."

"It's not worth the price," said Neltharion. "I've promised myself to protect the life that lives upon the surface and the deep places of Azeroth...that already exists here. That device threatens the life I want to protect."

He hiccuped, swaying once more.

"Did you get drunk?" Calia asked.

"A little..." said Neltharion, smiling, feeling his face flush.

"You are hopeless," said Calia.

"But the dwarf had absinthe," said Neltharion, pointing at the dwarf.

Calia turned to the dwarf: "Did you give my husband absinthe?"

"He looked like he needed something stronger," said the dwarf.

"Great!" she sighed. "Next time, give him the unleaded stuff."

Neltharion hiccuped again. He moved closer to her and wrapped his arms around her. She heard him purr loudly.

"Give me a break," Calia sighed, lowering him back down onto the sand. She heard him giggle a little and he brushed his head against her waist. She looked back up to the others. "He's like a big kitty cat when he's drunk. Nel, honey...let go."

She felt him slip off of her and he let loose a sigh. Calia patted him on the head, receiving another deep purr from the dragon.

"You still didn't answer my question," she said to Jones. "Why did you let that goblin go?"

"Unfortunately," began Jones. "I don't know where the next obelisk is. However, we need to find a way to get in. According to a friend of mine, it's being guarded by one of those black dragons. And Schnottz, he knows where it is. We can follow him."

"I ran into a black dragon," said Neltharion, lifting his heavy head up. "He mentioned Myzerian...one of my many direct children."

"Direct children?" asked Calia.

"As in, children hatched from the eggs produced by Sintharia and I," said Neltharion. "He's one of my actual sons and daughters."

"Wonderful," she said.

Neltharion rose up onto his feet again, shaking his head.

"Myzerian," he said with a heavy sigh. "He was the voice I felt before we came to Uldum. He was searching for me to see what had become of me. I can feel his anger. And that black dragon...he was there in Grim Batol and saw what happened when I brought Sintharia back to life." He closed his eyes, tears again flowing freely from them. "He saw the horrible things I've done to her. The reason why my flight is in such disrepair was because all Twilight Dragons created are born from mostly Black Dragon eggs laid by Sintharia, seeded by me." Neltharion lowered his head. "He said my flight hates me for it. He said they cannot forgive me for the horrible things I've done to them." He opened his eyes and took in a deep breath. "I can sense him there...an obelisk we have not visited yet. He guards it. Myzerian is much bigger than the two other black dragons here. One of my lieutenants."

"Which is why we need a safe way in," said Jones. "I know of a friend who may be able to help us."

"Where is he?" asked Calia.

"He owns a little camp in the Oasis of Vir'sar," said Jones. "If you will take me to him, we can get started."

"Right," she said. Calia turned to Neltharion, noticing his sullen mood. She sighed and placed her hand on his shoulder. "You need to resolve some things with your son, Nel. But now's not the time to get depressed and mopey."

"I know," said Neltharion, wiping away at his eyes. "It's...they really have disowned me." He peered down at her, his green eyes moist with his tears. "You are my flight now, Calia."

Calia took in a deep breath, feeling a pain at her heart. There was that longing she was sensing from him, the longing that confused her own emotions. Now was not the time to focus on that, but she could not help but to do so.

"Just...hold onto that thought for a little while longer," she said, leaning up against his side to comfort him. Neltharion placed an arm around her. "Just a little while longer. When this is done, I promise, we'll have our moment to resolve everything."

"I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing..." he said. "I want this mission to last a little while longer...meaning that you will stay with me a little while longer. When this is over, you'll leave me too."

Before she could react, Neltharion held out the enormous, two-handed, fiery mace.

"I want you to have this," he said. "Just in case you run out of bullets some time during the fight."

"I'm afraid that thing will burn me," she said.

"I'm giving it to you," said Neltharion. "It won't burn you. But it will burn your enemies and with the right force, can send them flying."

"I wonder if I can lift it," said Calia as Neltharion handed it to her. Much to her surprise, the massive mace which looked almost twice her size was rather light. "I can barely feel it's weight."

"It's yours," he said.

"Um...thanks..." said Calia. She watched Neltharion step away from her, taking the cloak off of his shoulders. As he did so, he grew back to his true size. "Uh, the problem is we don't have the harness."

"I wouldn't be an Aspect if I didn't know some tricks," said Neltharion. He raised his claw and snapped it, making the harness appear in the camp. He began to strap the harness onto his neck. Calia turned to the people standing around, marveling at the massive Black Aspect's size. She walked up to the ambassador.

"Will all of you be alright?" she asked.

"We'll be fine," said Laurent. "The captains of these ships we bought to bring us here. They can take us home."

"If they don't I know what their ships look like," said Neltharion. "Let them know that."

"I will, Earth-Warder," said Laurent.

"I didn't do much here," said Neltharion as he lowered down for Calia and Jones to climb on. "Schnottz got away, I got beat up by one of my own dragons, I got drunk...I think I have a problem with alcohol..."

"The first step in recovery is knowing you have a problem," said Laurent.

"The first alcoholic Dragon Aspect," said Calia. "And I'm married to him."

Neltharion rumbled in his own disgust.

"Oh, honey, you did distract Schnottz for us," said Calia. "And if you weren't here, we wouldn't know what he was really up to. So, you did some good."

Neltharion rose up onto all fours and waited for the people to step back away from him.

"Alright," said Jones as he seated himself comfortably behind Calia. "The Oasis is not far from here, just north of Ramkahen somewhere near Orsis, I believe. However, while in Orsis, I did manage to find a tall structure that somewhat resembled many of the obelisks we've already found. No doubt a quick fly over will confirm it."

"Okay," said Calia. "Nel, let's go."

"Good luck!" called Laurent as he and the others waved after them. The Black Dragon took off with a mighty downbeat of his wings, wind rushing up, scattering the sand across the camp. Neltharion headed north back towards Ramkahen, Schnottz's Landing growing more distant with every beat of his wings. He glided along the warm thermals of the desert air, looking out to the west seeing the sun begin to set. Another day had passed, but this time, he and Calia were one step closer in stopping Schnottz. However, it was not Schnottz that held his mind, it was Myzerian. He could sense his son patrolling the obelisk. He could sense the presence of the other black dragon landing and reporting what he found at the port establishment. And he could sense Myzerian's fury. Neltharion sighed as he flapped his massive wings slowly. Calia leaned over his shoulder, taking note of a tall structure just to the northwest of Ramkahen.

"There it is!" said Jones. "I see it! That's it! That's the Obelisk of the Moon!"

Sudden, a fireball raced up from the base of the structure and a powerful roar sounded. Neltharion dipped his wings and the fireball just barely missed the adamantine tips. Cali and Jones ducked.

"What was that?" asked Calia.

A rather massive black dragon, at least two-thirds the size of Neltharion himself shot up into the air towards the Aspect.

"Myzerian!" Neltharion shouted.

"Hello, father," said Myzerian.

Neltharion banked off as Myzerian chased after him, keeping pace with the Aspect's wings. He spat his flames at Neltharion's tail. Neltharion dipped down and rolled over. He sent a stream of his magma towards the black dragon, who then dodged it with a barrel roll. Myzerian turned and retreated, flying back to the Obelisk of the Moon.

"When you get your tail out from between your legs, father," he began. "I'll be waiting for you."

Neltharion paused, hovering as he watched the black dragon land back at the obelisk.

"I think he wants me dead," he said.

"You think?" asked Calia.

"We've better land at the Oasis," said Jones. "And form a plan to get around him."

"I know one plan," began Neltharion. "It involves me being the distraction. He wants to fight me, that's fine. I'll be happy to give my delinquent whelping of a son a good spanking."

The great Black winged over and slowly dove for the small bit of oasis on the side of the river. There was a camp settled and colorful tents set up. Neltharion backwinged and landed just outside the camp itself. As he came to his feet, the Black Dragon lowered his body for his passengers to dismount.

"I should go in and...warn Sullah," said Jones. "As it were. They may be a bit skittish to see something as big as...Neltharion showing up on their doorstep."

"They don't even have doors," said Neltharion.

"Don't state the obvious," said Calia.

"Do they have anything to drink?" asked Neltharion, watching Jones walk into the camp alone.

"You're not getting drunk!" said Calia. "Remember, you have a problem. We're gonna fix it."

"Can I do that when we get back to Theramore?" he asked. "And does that mean I have to go to one of those meetings?"

"No, we'll do it now, and yes, you have to go to those meetings," she said.

"Crap," Neltharion snorted, turning his head away. He turned towards Jones who came back from the camp.

"Okay, you two can come in, but carefully," he said.

They slowly walked in, Neltharion shrinking down to make sure he did not step on anyone's tents. As they came into the center of the camp, he could feel the eyes of the humans staring at him. There was a man dressed in a white robe and turban and a pleasant smile on his face who Jones went to. His smile soon faded when he looked upon Neltharion and Calia and his eyes widened in disbelief.

"Sullah," began Jones. "I would like you to meet Calia Hastings."

"Hello," said Calia. "It's nice to meet you."

"Hello," said Sullah.

"And this is...Neltharion," said Jones. "The dragon I told you about. He's...or he was...Deathwing."

Neltharion dipped his head politely and smiled as pleasantly as he could. However, the smile came off looking rather feral which made Sullah shrink back from him.

"Nel," Calia said in a whisper. "Not so big."

Neltharion's smile shrank, however, he did his best to not look threatening.

"You...you were not kidding," said Sullah. "Jonesy, I thought for a moment you spent too many hours out in the hot sun."

"Nope, he really is here," said Jones. "Sullah, we really do need your help in this."

"But of course!" said Sullah. He turned back to Neltharion and Calia. "Any friend of Jonesy is welcomed in my camp. That includes...um...ex-Worldbreakers."

Neltharion's smile broadened when he sensed the sincerity coming from Sullah's voice. There was still some uncertainty coming from the human, but he knew that anyone that Jones associated with meant that they could be trusted. Jones had gone off to read some more of his notes to see what new step they needed to take. Calia was talking with Sullah, listening to some of the stories he had about setting up a tourist post here in Uldum. Neltharion was not sure if that would be wise considering what all Uldum possessed. Though, it was a lovely place to visit. He turned back to the Obelisk of the Moon, which appeared just above a sandy dune formed against a rocky cliff.

Myzerian knew he was here, however, did he know about Calia and Jones?

Neltharion searched the dragon's mind and he could not tell if his son did. He hoped Myzerian did not, that way they could sneak into the Obelisk of the Moon while the two dragons faced off. Neltharion blocked his thoughts from Myzerian, making sure his son did not know what he was planning. For all he knew, Neltharion came alone. And Neltharion wanted to keep it that way. Neltharion looked back at Calia who was enjoying some supper from Sullah's tent. He smiled, sensing that she seemed happy. Calia looked over to the dragon and motioned for him to join her.

"Come over here, Nel," she said. "You have to eat something."

"I don't know what dragons eat," said Sullah. "But you are welcomed to what I have."

"Thank you," said Neltharion.

Sullah brought out a plate to the Black Dragon, setting out some peppered chicken. He poured some tangy-smelling sauce onto the chicken. Neltharion reached out with his claw to the chicken, but Calia slapped it.

"Manners!" she said.

Neltharion chuckled and gently picked up a fork. He speared a piece of the chicken and took a bite from it. The tangy sauce and the pepper made him cough, but it was good.

"Good?" asked Sullah.

"Yes," said Neltharion. He heard a laugh from Calia and he turned to her.

Even with a little bit of the sauce on her face, she still looked lovely to him. Neltharion laughed with her, smiling at her as she smiled at him. Her eyes focused on his, seeing how they sparkled when they looked at her. They almost looked like gems. Neltharion broke the gaze and got up, excusing himself from Sullah's table.

"Someone needs to keep watch," he said. "Just in case."

Calia took in a deep breath and followed him, excusing herself as well. She once more found him watching the obelisk. As night rolled in, there was a glow coming from the area where the obelisk was, signaling artificial light being cast upon the obelisk put up but Schnottz's men. She walked up to Neltharion and he turned around.

"You should get some rest," said Neltharion. "Until Jones is ready."

"I know," she said. "I was just wondering how you were."

"I can't answer that right now," he replied, lowering his head.

The wind blowing through the trees picked up the black locks of his braided mutton chops. He slowly approached her, leaning down to her. Neltharion brushed his cheek against her cheek again and then slowly pulled away. He looked away, turning back to the obelisk. Calia also looked to the obelisk.

"Do you honestly think that once I leave you'll have no one?" she asked.

"Yes," said Neltharion.

"What about Alexstrasza, or Ysera?"

"Though they care for me," he began. "They have their duties. We rarely rely upon each other unless absolutely necessary. Maybe if that was different...they would have been able to do something about my troubles. None of this would have happened."

Calia lifted a hand to his muscular shoulder and laid it upon it.

"If they did," she began. "Then, you wouldn't have become Deathwing..." Her hand slipped from his shoulder and she began to walk away. "You wouldn't have met me."

Neltharion tore his eyes from the obelisk. He took his breath, realizing what she meant by what she said. Calia looked back at him and smiled softly. The Black Dragon swiftly came to her side. He took her into his arms again, brushing his chin over her head. He nuzzled his snout against her face. Calia raised a hand up and brushed it against his huge neck, going with the grain of his scales. Neltharion purred as she pet him.

"Yes," she said. "You can cuddle me...now." Calia leaned back, feeling Neltharion bury his snout in her hair, his hot breath sending the locks every which way. "Not that hard, though."

Neltharion leaned away from Calia, smiling from behind the metal jaw. He leaned down one more time, brushing his cheek against her cheek and holding it there.

"What am I going to do with you?" Calia asked as he lowered himself to lean against her.

Neltharion could not reply as he was getting lost in his happiness of being so close to her. In the distance, he could hear a childlike laugh.

_You see? I knew it!_


	14. XIV

**XIV**

The light of the moons lit their path as they made their way up the dune. The moons cast silvery light upon the sand, making each graduals sparkle and glisten. The silvery sand did little to conceal his obsidian black body, but it did not matter to him. Nothing mattered to him except for the plan.

And Neltharion was the bait.

He looked back over his shoulder, seeing Calia, who signaled her readiness. Jones needed to get some scrolls he heard from Sullah that Schnottz's men had at the encampment at the Obelisk of the Moon.

And that was the plan, Calia gets the scrolls, Neltharion distracts Myzerian.

The Black Dragon turned back towards the dune, letting loose a deep rumble as he began to ascend the slope. While he walked the slope, Calia began her swift climb. She moved around the dune, silently sliding down as the dragon made it over the top as well. Neltharion paused, poised proudly over the dune. His face darkened as he looked upon the well lit arena around the obelisk. The sodium vapor lamps lining the edge of the arena and the canal cast a glaring, unnatural orange upon the base of the obelisk and reflected off of the sandstone. The orange ascended to the sky, blocking out the stars in a rich, orange glow. Only the twin moons still could outshine the glow. Under his feet, he could feel the slow beat of Azeroth's heart, urging him forward. The dry wind blew across his black scales and Neltharion felt a shiver run down his spine. He heard the voices of the mortals down below through the echos of the surface. Upon his appearance, they began to scatter, readying their weapons. Neltharion took no heed to them. Their weapons were of little concern to him. Neltharion began to slowly descend down towards the obelisk. He reached down deep inside himself and pulled out what he had left of himself that was saved. Deathwing truly did steal much that was Neltharion when he was banished despite both personalities melding together to become one again. Deathwing took Neltharion's solemn, intelligent and wise mind, leaving behind nothing more than a buffoon it seemed. Of course the alcohol did not help his mind any.

However, this was his chance to fix his mistakes as best as he could. Neltharion extended his wings and sounded a terrible, trumpeting roar. Around him, the ground trembled violently. Fissures broke the sandstone slab the encampment was on, sending hot steam forth to scald several of the guards. Neltharion leapt off the side, landing powerfully upon the flat sandstone. He flapped his wings, sending forth a torrent of wind, blowing many of the tents away. He bellowed again.

"Myzerian!" Neltharion said. He trumpeted another roar. "Come out!"

His claws gripped the sandstone tightly, creating deep gashes in the surface. Neltharion turned to a human form walking out from behind the obelisk. He could feel his blood running through this human's veins. There was the burning rage, the hatred, the need to destroy inside this human. It made Deathwing from deep inside of Neltharion grin. He stopped just before the Black Aspect. The human leaned back on the heels of his feet and crossed his arms. He gave the Great Black a smug, crooked smile. Neltharion felt his fiery blood boil inside his form and a sneer of disgust stretched thinly thinly across his face. The human scoffed at the sneer.

"Decided to come out of hiding, father?" he asked. "State your business."

_Such__ insolence,_ though Neltharion. _How__ dare__ him?_ He cleared his throat. "Myzerian, I am willing to give you a chance. Return to me and leave Schnottz's employ. I will forgive any evil you have done in the past while under the influence of Deathwing and the whispers of the Old Gods..."

Myzerian rolled his eyes and cackled at Neltharion's words, disrupting the Black Dragon.

"And I wish for you to forgive me for what I have done as Deathwing," said Neltharion, ignoring the mocking laugh. "I do not want to fight you. I want you like all my children, by my side. We don't have to be enemies."

"So, this is it?" Myzerian asked. "This is Neltharion? Proposing peace, giving choices?"

"Why would I do anything else?" Neltharion asked.

"The whispers are right, you really aren't Deathwing," said Myzerian. "Which makes you not my father, nor my lord. My lord was Deathwing, and seeing he is dead, and you are all that is left...I will propose that someone must take up the job where he left off."

"What?" Neltharion asked. "Do you have any idea what you are wanting? Do you have any idea what all I've been through to become Deathwing?" He leaned back onto his haunches, showing every bit of his girth. "Do you honestly want this? Look at what all the Old Gods did to me to make me Deathwing! These metal plates aren't some fashion accessory."

Myzerian crossed in front of Neltharion.

"I would make a better Deathwing than you ever have," he said. "I would not let my flight deteriorate while proposing to create mutations and pass them off as superiors to us. We are the Black Dragonflight, we are the superiors! There are no other dragonflights that can match us."

"And yet we are dying," said Neltharion.

"Because you let us do so!" said Myzerian, pointing an accusing finger at the Black Aspect. "You do not deserve to have the position to lead us. Keep your Earth-Warding powers, Neltharion, I have no use for it. I am the new Aspect of Death! And it is in Uldum that I will claim that title. Schnottz is not my master, I am his whether he realizes it or not." He shifted into his dragon form and extended his wings, letting loose a bellow of his own. "I am the new Deathwing! The Old Gods wanted it to be so. You are a failed experiment, father. You are nothing now!"

_Such an insolent whelp!_

_Why not teach him a lesson?_

_How dare he proclaim himself as the new Aspect of Death._

_He's not even an Aspect._

Neltharion snorted at Myzerian's boastful proclamation. The frown upon his face drew taunt. He turned for a moment to look over at Calia who was pilfering through the abandoned tents. Many of Schnottz's men had fled, scared off by the dragons' roaring. Neltharion's brow cocked slightly up. He was not at the very least impressed by Myzerian's claim.

"When I kill you, father," began Myzerian. "Then it will be official. They will know the new Deathwing and I will claim that chin of yours as a trophy."

_Well, whelp? What do you have to say about that?_

_I__'__m__ not__ impressed,_replied Neltharion. "Myzerian, don't be a fool with these idiotic claims to power. I can squash you without even lifting a talon."

"I would like to see you..." Myzerian felt his head begin to swim violently. His breath became labored and his head pounded. He could feel his heart quiver in his chest as if something was reaching out to take hold of it. Myzerian pushed himself, trying to fight whatever it was that held him, but all he could sense were Neltharion's eyes upon him. He looked up into the emerald eyes of the Earth-Warder as they slowly began to smolder into orange. He could not speak, he could not call out. He felt the great weight of the Aspect's mind upon him, flattening him, consuming him. Myzerian fell upon his belly, his body growing heavier and heavier. His eyes still were locked upon Neltharion's. He could not pry them away. The Aspect's eyes continued to smolder, becoming hotter and hotter.

_You dare try to claim my place? Who do you think you are? You are nothing more than a insolent whelp. Without me, you have no existence. You only are here to serve me and no one else..._

Myzerian shook his head, his vision blurring, though his eyes remained focused upon Neltharion.

"No...I am...not..." he grunted, trying to fight against the Aspect's will. He broke the hold upon him and leapt out from the ground, latching with his claws upon Neltharion's neck. Neltharion swung his neck around, bellowing out as Myzerian bit into his black scales. The Black Aspect's fiery blood sprayed from the wound, burning Myzerian's muzzle. The black dragon roared and leapt away. He held onto his face burned from Neltharion's blood.

"This is what...mother felt..." said Myzerian. "Your...heat...it will not stop me!"

Neltharion reared back just as Myzerian shook off the burning pain. The smaller dragon jumped only to have his father slash across his face with his powerful, enormous claw. Myzerian plummeted backwards, hitting the ground hard, rolling up against the base of the obelisk. Neltharion slowly lumbered towards him, his eyes still glowing and he let loose another growl. He extended his wings and took flight. The Black Aspect's massive wings blocked out the light of the moons as his dark shadow fell over Myzerian. The smaller black dragon leapt into the air to meet his father. Neltharion closed his wings and dove for Myzerian, his massive body whistling in the wind. He unleashed his molten, fiery breath upon Myzerian. The smaller black dragon swiftly whisked by, allowing the stream of lava speed past his flank. Myzerian knew his father's breath weapon was so much hotter, so much stronger. There was no way he could survive a hit with it. It would burn him instantly.

Like the heat of his father burned his mother.

Neltharion banked, wings outstretched. He gave a powerful pump and shot back up, Myzerian followed him. The Great Black looked over his shoulder as Myzerian swiftly caught up with him, latching onto his tail with his claws. Neltharion snapped his tail, knocking his son free. The blade slashed across Myzerian's neck and the smaller black faltered, falling back. Neltharion flipped backwards and shot back down towards his falling son. He bellowed and ignited his body, ash, soot, and glowing cinders showered from his wings. Myzerian looked up just as he saw his father's massive claws reach out for him. The smaller black dragon fought against the pain of his neck and flapped his wings. He managed to right himself just as Neltharion's massive jaws snapped passed him. His father, though so much more powerful than Myzerian, was much slower in his attacks due to his enormous muscular and bloated body. Myzerian sneered. He had the advantage of speed over his father! Myzerian's claws gripped Neltharion's enormous head and he kicked off from the Black Aspect, sending himself flying upwards while Neltharion flew down. Myzerian looked down upon the great spine of his father, covered in all those adamantine plates.

Those plates...his one weakness.

Myzerian caught himself and latched upon Neltharion's back, digging his claws under one of the adamantine plates. Neltharion roared out in agony as he felt his son's claws start to lift one of the back plates up, tearing it loose from its bolt.

"What are you doing?" Neltharion called.

"Ripping you apart!" Myzerian bellowed.

With one mighty tug, Myzerian tore the plate loose from Neltharion's back. Lava-like blood erupted forth from the holes the bolts had created. Neltharion's glowing ripped spin was now becoming exposed. Myzerian could see what remained of the glowing purple crystals that once dotted the Black Aspect's back as he tore another plate free. They were nothing more than glowing nubs running along his spines, shaved down so that the adamantine plates could be nailed on top. Neltharion bellowed and spun around, trying to knock the smaller black dragon off. Myzerian held tightly as his world spun swiftly before his eyes. His head began to swim and he held onto the third plate tightly with his claws. Myzerian bellowed out as some of his father's fiery blood sprayed upon him again. He looked down upon his claws, noticing them becoming charred from the heat of Neltharion's exposed back.

Down below Calia looked up, hearing her husband's painful cries. She saw an adamantine plate plummet towards her and she swiftly leapt out of the way, rolling on the sand. The plate slammed hard into the sand, sending a slight tremble through it. Calia looked back up at the two dueling dragons again.

"Nel..." she breathed. "What's he doing to you?"

Neltharion growled and dove swiftly down.

"You wish so much to die, Myzerian..." he began. "Who am I to stop you?"

"I will not die!" Myzerian said. "I will become the new Black Aspect. I will fix all the mistakes you have made! It is you who will die."

Neltharion swiftly snapped, slinging Myzerian with one of his spine plates off, sending them both flying for the ground. Myzerian let go of the plate as he flopped and rolled upon the sand, sending the grains flying. Neltharion painfully landed, his fiery blood dripping off of his wounds, running down his sides. His eyes flashed with fury as he began slowly hobble towards his son. Magma dripped from his jaws. Smoke and fire spewed forth from his glowing rips. Neltharion sprayed his magma at Myzerian while he tried to rise. The smaller black dragon bellowed out in agony. The magma burned away at his black scales.

Sticky fire.

Myzerian breathed as he tried to rise again. Neltharion slammed his claw down upon him, pinning him to the sand.

"There is only one Aspect of the Black Dragonflight," he growled. "And no one will take my place."

With a snap, Neltharion broke Myzerian's neck. His eyes began to cool again, returning to being green. He winced in pain, looking over his back to see the missing plates. They dotted the area of the Obelisk of the Moon. Neltharion swung his head around. In all the fighting, he forgot about Calia. The last thing he wanted was for her to be crushed under one of the fallen plates.

"Cali!" he roared. "Cali! Cali, where are you? Cali!"

"Nel!" Calia called, coming out from behind one of the plates. In her hands were pieces of the scrolls that Jones needed.

"Cali!" Neltharion said, hobbling painfully towards her. "Cali..."

"I'm okay," said Calia. "Honey, let me see your back."

Neltharion took in a breath and turned around, sitting down on the ground, with his back facing her so she could get a good look at it. His blood leaked out from the holes, running down his spine in glowing orange globs. She heard as his blood hit the ground, it hissed. She could even smell the sulfur coming off of it. He was like a living volcano inside.

"How bad is it?" Neltharion asked.

"Three plates are missing," said Calia, tilting her head. "How are we going to get them back on? You can't go around with your back exposed like that. Aren't those plates helping to keep you together?"

"I'm not expanding anymore like I did," said Neltharion, turning back around to her. "Alexstrasza fixed that when she began to heal me and help sever my connection to the Old Gods. But some of the rips I received over time will not heal. So, the plates are there to protect those sensitive areas."

"I get it," said Calia. "I just hope Sullah's camp comes with a black smith. He'll need to hammer those plates back on you...if he can. Start gathering them up."

Neltharion began to pick up his plates, inspecting them to see if they were bent. Calia looked over to the dead body of Myzerian and she lowered her head.

"He was your son..." she said. "And you killed him."

"I don't have Alexstrasza's talents," said Neltharion. "I...don't know how to help him. He was too far gone."

"So...there's the proof?" asked Calia. "Your flight. They can't be healed or helped? Even if you're well...good again, they can't be?"

"I sensed so much hatred for me inside Myzerian," said Neltharion as he set the plates down beside his son. He picked up his son's head and held it close. "He...he was right to hate me. What I did to my only remaining consort, to my children...I was causing the extinction of my own flight. I want to save as many as I can, but when they do this, I don't know how. All he knew was Deathwing. So, he felt that if he became Deathwing and killed me, then as the new Deathwing, he would correct everything I did wrong." Neltharion sighed and shook his head in dismay, lowering Myzerian back to the ground. "There may be black dragons who would welcome me. But then there are those like him who want me dead for my power. I don't know who to trust in my flight anymore."

Neltharion dipped his head as he looked upon the body of Myzerian. He did not want to loose a black dragon. He did not want to loose his family. But there was so much hatred, so much hostility, and Myzerian was too far gone to be saved. Myzerian may be his son, but there was no love, no connection between them save for blood. In many ways, he was just another black dragon. The only reason why he was more important and had a leadership was because of being Deathwing's son. However, loosing a child still hurt. Neltharion leaned down and placed his head upon Myzerian's body and rumbled a sob. Tears once more flowed from his eyes like the blood that dripped from his wounds. He rumbled again, holding the body close. Calia placed a hand on his paw.

"Nel," she began. "I'm sure there are still some black dragons who will welcome you."

"No," said Neltharion. "There are not."

"You only have seen two who won't," said Calia. "Two don't make a flight."

"I can sense the hostility from the others," said Neltharion. He lifted his head up from Myzerian and looked tearfully upon Calia. "I deserve this! I deserve their hatred!"

"No, you don't," said Calia. "Stop it! Stop this self pity. Just stop it."

Neltharion's breath cracked with another sob and he laid upon his side, holding Myzerian again. Calia stood there, staring at the massive Black Dragon holding his much smaller son's dead form in his claws.

"Another one sent to you...Sintharia," said Neltharion. "Another one to keep you company while I go on in this world alone. Someday, I will join you too."

"Neltharion!" Calia shouted, her fists balling up in her frustration. She moved over to the Black Dragon's head and reached out for it. Neltharion's eyes moved to her and he gently rubbed his scaly cheek against her hand. She felt how moist his cheeks were and she tried her best to brush away the huge tears that flowed from his eyes. All the while Neltharion wept and Calia comforted, there was a black dragon watching from the cliff above the Chamber of the Moon. The black dragon watched as the one he called his sire held Myzerian in his forelegs and wept mournfully at his death. He did not know what to do. This was Deathwing, weeping, mourning and of course allowing a single human to comfort him while he cried over the dead body of his son. Siderion gripped the rock of the cliff. There was a part of him who felt the overwhelming sadness that the Black Aspect felt. He could feel the whole of Azeroth weep along with him and it brought tears to his eyes. Jethrian would not cry though, he would continue fuming over the horrible things Deathwing had done to Sintharia at Grim Batol. Siderion had not seen those things, he did not know those feelings, but he did know Deathwing's emotions right now. Being this close to the Lord of the Black Dragonflight, he could feel every painful tear.

The creature known as the Destroyer was no more. The Heart of Azeroth had been reborn.

Siderion wondered if the Aspect had abandoned his flight, left them, but it was the opposite. He could sense Neltharion's searching, loneliness because he felt they abandoned him. The younger black dragon ever felt so much want, so much need, so much desire from Deathwing to have a family again, to love his family. It was something he never did since the Time of the Ancients. Siderion extended his wings and leapt off of the cliff. He flew over the obelisk and landed just a ways away from Neltharion and his human companion. Neltharion lifted his head up and wiped his eyes. Calia armed her rifle, aiming it for the black dragon who landed.

"Don't come any closer!" she warned the black dragon. "I'm pretty good at blinding dragons with this thing."

"I have not come here for a fight," said Siderion. "I've come here to talk to the Lord of the Black Dragonflight, to the Aspect himself."

Neltharion sniffed and lifted a claw to Calia, motioning for her to lower her gun.

"Who are you?" he asked the black dragon.

"I am Siderion. I was called here by my master Myzerian to join him when you ordered him to help Schnottz."

"You are rather young," said Neltharion.

"I am," said Siderion. "My mother is a granddaughter of yours."

"Great-grandson?" asked Calia.

"I have so many," said Neltharion. "I don't keep track of the grandchildren or the great-grandchildren, just my sons and daughters."

"Your flight comes directly from you?" asked Calia.

"Yes," said Neltharion. "Which is why I place more emphasis on sons and daughters being directly from me and not their descendants. It seems Deathwing's evil influence might have lessened with each generation born away from me." He turned to Siderion. "Do you hear the Old Gods?"

"Yes," said Sid. "But, ever since I connected to the earth and heard your voice singing joyfully from it, I have been able to ignore the Old Gods. Your voice is louder, more powerful than theirs. It...feels me with so much happiness. I don't want to let that go."

"I know of that joy you speak of," said Neltharion. "Deathwing soured that joy, made us all hate it and only desire the power of the Old Gods."

Siderion turned his head to Myzerian.

"You killed him," he said.

"I didn't want to," said the Aspect. "I gave him a chance like I was given a chance. The Old Gods have poisoned my flight so much." Neltharion lowered his head. "I only want my family back." He turned back to Siderion. "I've hurt this world and I have hurt my flight. When you leave, at least take with you my sincere apology. Please."

Siderion looked down upon Myzerian while his body slowly began to sink beneath the sand. As all of the Black Dragonflight, Myzerian was returning to Wyrmrest to join those who had fallen.

"Go to Sintharia, my son," said Neltharion. "In death, the Old Gods will no longer torment you."

_Missing your son already?_

_Shame that he had to die._

_He would have made a much better Deathwing._

Neltharion snorted.

_But in the end, such inferiority will parish._

"That is what they want..." Neltharion sighed. "Us all to die. I don't want my flight to hate me, I want it to help me find a way to defeat the Old Gods. You must understand when the Hour of Twilight finally comes, they will kill us! They will kill all of us! If we served them or not, they do not care. They want us dead. The only dragonflight they deemed worthy of living in their world is that accursed Twilight Dragonflight I made...I hideously mutated from my own. As horrible as it may sound, it was the only thing that would have allowed my flight to survive...to have it transformed into that. But I would not be a part of it. Once their use of me was over...I too would be killed."

"And you now want to stop the Old Gods, lord?" Siderion asked.

"I am the allegory of Azeroth," said Neltharion. "The planet...and it hurts with those parasites living within it. Such creatures, I cannot allow them to continue poisoning my world to hurt innocent creatures like..." He paused and slowly turned to Calia, his eyes moist. "Humans, elves, orcs, all manner of mortal life." Neltharion turned back to Siderion, straightening his back. He puffed out his chest and held his head high, looking as stately as he could, holding himself as an Aspect would. "We do not just serve the Titans, we serve them as well. Mortal life. We are their protectors. My flight once protected the land, Siderion, ever rock, every mountain, the air, the water, and the dark places below. Now, we destroy that. No more. Our duties is to protect again everything physical that life walks upon, drinks from, and breathes. Make this world a paradise again, where the soil gave forth plentiful nutrients for life, air was not poisoned, and the water pure. I cannot fix all that I broke, but I can try to make living with my mistakes easier for everyone else." He looked down at the smaller black dragon. "But I need help. I didn't do it by myself, I had a whole flight, a mighty flight!"

"We are so few," said Siderion.

"My fault!" Neltharion bellowed. "It's my fault! I know that. Ever since Alexstrasza freed me, I've always known it was my fault. I want to make it right. Tell me how, show me how I can make things right with my flight again. I want them all to stand with me so we can help Azeroth like we did long ago."

"I don't know," said Siderion. "I just want to know have you abandoned us?"

"No!" Neltharion said, shocked at the question. "No! I don't want to abandon you, I will never abandon you! Never. I want my flight to be strong again. I need my flight. I want to help it."

"Jethrian will not listen," said Siderion. "But I will. I've felt it. You. I felt you...the real Black Aspect. Not Deathwing. My Lord Neltharion." He looked back towards a temple up on a high hill. "Schnottz. You have to stop him."

"Can you help us?" Calia asked.

"I wouldn't know where to begin," said Siderion. "I don't know how to locate the Coffer of Promise. But it's up in that temple. Jet...he's siding with Schnottz all the way. He wants you dead like Myzerian. I snuck over here so he wouldn't get me. I was having second thoughts about this when I felt your spirit. I wanted to see if it was all true. I know it is. Be careful of Jethrian."

Siderion spread his wings and launched into the air.

"Wait!" Neltharion called. "I need your help!"

"I can't," said Siderion. "Not yet. We still don't trust you. I have to let the others know though. Maybe someday we can return to Wyrmrest peacefully without every other dragonflight wanting us dead. We're so few, so very few."

With that, Siderion banked off, flying away and disappearing into the night sky. Neltharion lowered his head and sighed. He winced when he felt the rips on his bare back tear a bit more.

"I need a blacksmith," he said.

"Maybe Sullah has one," said Calia. "Come on, pick up those plates and we'll go back to camp. I have what Jones needs."

Neltharion stood still, staring at her with sorrowful eyes. Calia looked up at him and sighed, shaking her head.

"Don't you start," she said. "Don't you start..."

He lowered himself back down to the sand where Myzerian once laid and curled up tightly into a large ball of black scales. Calia walked over to Neltharion and placed her hand on his snout. She listened to him softly weep under his wings.

"Nel," she whispered. "Listen to me. You're not alone. You can't expect your whole flight to welcome you back after all that has happened. It's like me, what happened to me. We are working together because I have now grown to trust you. They need to see that too. Nel..." When she did not receive an answer, she leaned down to his snout, pressing her cheek against it. "Neltharion, just put it behind you. It'll be alright."

Neltharion let loose a small, breathy whimper and nuzzled her gently.

"Honey..." said Calia. "It's okay. You have me, you're not alone."

Neltharion lifted his head up: "Yes...sugar-dumplin'."

The Black Aspect leaned down to the human and nuzzled her again. Calia almost laughed, feeling his hot breath tickle her cheek. She patted his snout while he pressed up against her cheek, purring softly.

"You are hopeless," she said.

Neltharion chuckled deeply, enjoying his time nuzzling her.

"Okay," said Calia, pushing on his snout. "That's enough. Back to work."

Neltharion rose up and nodded. He raised his claw up to his nose and wiped it with a talon, sniffling. Then, he began to collect his plates. They both figured it was best to walk back to the camp since his back was dangerously bare. Neltharion did not want Calia to be burned by the fiery ichor oozing out from his back. Once the plates were hammered back on, he knew that would stop. As the two crossed the dune and came upon Sullah's camp, Neltharion shrank himself, holding onto the plates in his claws. Jones came out from Sullah's tent and stared blankly, seeing the Black Dragon holding the three spine plates in his claws and his back glowing from behind his head. Calia walked up to him and handed the scrolls she found around the obelisk.

"I wouldn't have been able to get them all without Nel's help," she said. "He kept that black dragon distracted."

"I...killed him too," said Neltharion. "I...had no choice. But the point is that he won't get in our way when we make for the Obelisk of the Moon."

"You mean when me and Dr. Jones go," said Calia.

"What?" Neltharion asked.

"You are staying here," said Calia. "And getting your back repaired. Dr. Jones, does Sullah have a blacksmith? Nel's spine plates were ripped off. We need them fixed."

"Sullah!" Jones said, swinging around to the trader. "You've got a blacksmith?"

"Yes, Jonesy," said Sullah, walking up to them. "I do."

Neltharion lifted his plates up to Sullah: "Can he fix me?"

"I don't know if he's strong enough to puncture your scales," said Sullah.

"There are holes already made," said Calia. "He just needs to hammer the plates back on, can he do that?"

"I suppose," said Sullah. He whistled and a dwarf and a human walked over to him. Sullah walked the two over to Neltharion and then around him to his back. Neltharion set the plates down as the two blacksmiths studied the bare spots they left. The dwarf knelt down and picked up one of the plates.

"This is the finest adamantine I've ever seen," he said. "We've got the tools to hammer them back on, but they need some reshaping in order to do that. The edges looked warped from where they were torn."

"Do the best you can," said Calia. "At least make sure the plates will hold until we are finished with our mission."

"Of course, ma'am," said the human. "We'll get started on it right now. If you would, Earth-Warder..."

The human motioned for Neltharion to walk over to the blacksmith tent. The Black Aspect followed them, looking back at Calia with worry. Jones looked upon the scrolls and began to read them, searching through his notes for their proper translation. Calia looked over her shoulder as the two blacksmiths began to heat up Neltharion's plates in their forge. She could see the worried look upon the Black Dragon's face. A small night breeze picked up a lock of Calia's hair and blew it into her eyes. She brushed it away from her face and walked over to Neltharion.

"Calia," he began. "I don't want you to go without me."

"We need to hurry up and get this thing done before Schnottz finds the Coffer, Nel," said Calia. "And I need you to be at your best when we finally face him and his black dragon. You can't do that with missing plates."

Neltharion's head lowered and he heaved a sigh of frustration.

"Don't worry," said Calia, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Jones and I will be right back."

Neltharion lifted a claw up to her cheek and thumbed it gently: "I don't want anything happening to you."

"Hey," she said. "This sort of thing is all apart of my job. I'm a secret agent, remember? Do you have any idea how many assassinations I've done since I joined SI: 7? I can handle myself pretty well without you."

Neltharion lowered his head: "Not even you need me."

"Oh, Nel..." Calia began. "That's not it."

"I'm useless..."

"Stop it!" Calia said, taking hold of both sides of his face. "Stop it right now! Don't you go all depressed on me again. Now, you listen to me, Neltharion, I do need you. I need you for this mission. I need you to focus. You need to get repaired and we need to get this job done. And while you are being repaired, Jones and I can activate the final obelisk. We'll be back before you know it."

"And then what?" Neltharion asked. "After we do this for the Alliance...then what?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there," said Calia. "Don't think about that right now. Think about this."

Neltharion took in a deep breathed and nodded with hesitation.

"Okay," said Calia. "I'll be back. Everything is going to be alright, Nel. Just you wait. You'll get fixed and we'll be ready to face Schnottz. Saving Azeroth, that's your job? It's mine too."

"I've got the scrolls translated!" said Jones. "And I'm ready to go when you are."

"Great!" said Calia. "Nel's gonna stay here since he needs his plates repaired."

"Okay," said Jones. "Hey, Sullah, can you spare two camels?"

"That's not a problem, Jonesy," said Sullah. He lead them over to where he kept his camels tied up and brought out two of them for Jones and Calia. As they mounted up, Calia looked back at Neltharion. She saw the dwarf bring out one of the plates hot and glowing from the forge. Then, the dwarf laid the plate upon Neltharion's back and with a mighty hammer strike, began to bolt it down. The Black Dragon bellowed out as he felt the strike of the hammer, hammer in the spike into his back to hold the hot plate still. Calia winced, hearing Neltharion's painful bellow. The earth itself seemed to shake violently as the Aspect roared with each hammer strike. That was when she began to recall that the same sounds, the same rumbles were found as the Cataclysm neared its zenith.

The Cataclysm itself was caused by the painful roars of Deathwing as the Twilight Hammers repaired his armor.

"Come on!" said Jones. "We've got to go!"

"Coming!" said Calia.

The two started off, their camels galloping through the sandy desert. All the while, the earth continued to rumble and shift as the ring of the hammer strikes echoed through the night.


	15. XV

**XV**

The great corridor was bathed in an eerie cyan gloom from glowing scarabs dotting the massive gold-lined pillars. The sound of water sloshing and trickling in the canals along the glass walkway, echoed off the pillars. Calia held her breath, afraid to break such haunting ambiance with her mouth. Jones flipped through his notes, walking slowly up to a pillar and began to read the strange inscription etched deeply upon its cold, stone surface. Calia felt a chill run down her spine from a sudden wind rushing up from the outside. It did not help the mood of the chamber.

"Dr. Jones," can we just hurry up and get this thing going?" asked Calia. "We're wasting time."

"I have to make sure I'm translating this right," said Jones. "If I don't, we might set off a trap when we activate it." He turned his head and smiled sheepishly at Calia. "Wouldn't want to do that, would we? I have to make sure I get you back safe to the Earth-Warder. I really don't want to make him mad."

"He told you, didn't he?" Calia asked, placing a hand on her hip. "He told you about he and I being married...and who I was."

"Yes, Your Highness," said Jones. "Never thought I was walking around with royalty."

"Don't call me that," said Calia. "I'm not a princess anymore."

"But you are royalty," said Jones.

"Was," said Calia. "Before my brother did his little act. One of the reasons why I can't tell people who I am because I'm the sister of the Lich King. Though, I heard my brother was finally put down. Still, even with him gone, the undead roam. If he's still existing...or if he's truly gone, I can't say. He killed our father, that's all that mattered to me. I loved my brother, and it pained me so much to think that he would do such an act. There was no love in his eyes, no remorse when he slew our father. A traitor. That's all Arthas is to me, a traitor."

Jones felt along the surface of the pillar: "Makes me wonder if all this anger you have for Neltharion or rather Deathwing is just misplaced anger you really have for your brother."

"Have you any idea what Deathwing did to me?" asked Calia.

"Oh, I know," said Jones. "I know about the scars, it's obvious what he did...but he wasn't the one who took away your family, your brother, your father. He tried to use you to get into a political position in the Alliance, but he did not kill your father."

Calia shifted her stance and looked away, crossing her arms.

"He still did what he did to me," said Calia.

"And that doesn't change it," said Jones. "But the rest of it...loosing your identity, your family, that was Arthas' fault, not Deathwing's."

"Maybe not," said Calia. "But, I tend to think it all went down hill after I married him." She looked away and sighed. "Neltharion...I know Neltharion is different. I know Deathwing and Neltharion are two different personalities in one body..."

"He cares for you, you know that?" asked Jones, lowering his book. "A lot more than you think. He loves you."

"I don't what I think about that," said Calia. "And it's none of your business! My relationship with Neltharion, that's my problem." She shook her head. "Maybe I do love him. Why should I? He's not even my own species."

"Apparently dragons are more versatile creatures than I thought," said Jones.

"He even told you that?" Calia said, her frown growing longer. "I will break every bone in his body!"

"Good luck trying," said Jones. "I hear the Earth-Warder is the toughest of the Aspects, at least when it comes to physical strength. His mentality, I wonder."

"He's been through so much," she said. "We both have. I suppose it's not easy having a duty where the gifts you were granted came with a curse as well. His was hearing the Old Gods' voices constantly, slowly breaking down his mental barriers."

"I never knew the full story of it," said Jones. "I just knew that he went crazy, betrayed his friends, and changed Azeroth when he created the Demon Soul."

He brought out a brush and began to swipe it across the surface of the pillar, brushing away the dust from the ancient runes.

"He's talked about the Demon Soul," said Calia. "He blames himself for the Sundering of the World."

Dr. Jones lowered the brush and glanced back at Calia. His eyes lit up with astonishment. In his mind, what she had said horrified him.

"Deathwing was responsible for the Sundering of the World?" he asked.

"Well, if Neltharion had not made the Demon Soul," began Calia. "Then Kalimdor would still be one continent instead of three."

"And now you're his wife," said Jones.

"Not for long," said Calia. "We've agreed upon a divorce when this mission is over. And we'll go our separate ways."

"Doesn't seem like it to me," said Jones. He crossed his arms, cocking an eyebrow at her. "Doesn't seem like he wants to separate from you. He clings onto you tightly. Never seen a love-sick dragon before."

"It's still none of your business," said Calia. "Stormwind didn't put you here to have a discussion with me about my husband. You're here to help us stop Schnottz's plan."

Jones looked around the pillar he was examining and brushed away a final piece of dust from it. Running his fingers across the grooves, he looked down upon his notes once more, his eyes lighting up in revelation.

"According to this," he began. "This is a warning of a death trap. We need to disable it in order to get the obelisk activated." He turned around, looking about the chamber, taking in its eerie, blue glow. He could hear the sounds of his feet swishing on the stone, echoing through the chamber. Then, he sniffed and scratched his nose. "I have a gut feeling...it's this way."

Dr. Jones and Calia walked down the long path and then turned over to a small section towards the side. There was a control panel sitting against the fall wall. The control panel was sitting beneath an enormous golden, solemn face lined with turquoise. Calia looked up at the face, staring deeply into its eyes. She turned her head slightly, studying its features from a slanted angle. For just a brief moment, she thought the eyes of the face flashed as if to acknowledge that she was staring up at it. Down below her, Jones was still fixing the control panel, not taking a look back behind him at the entranced secret agent.

As Calia continued to look deep into the face's eyes, something flashed onto her retinas. She saw a dark room alight only by glowing purple tubes carrying strange energy into one central, gigantic tube. She saw a dark form inside the tube, an all too familiar dark form. Tubes and wires strung about the dark form as it floated inside the strange liquid in the tube. As her vision closed in on the form, two glistening, emerald eyes opened up and focused upon her. Calia gasped, suddenly thrown back into her own body. She staggered backwards, breathing heavily, feeling her heart pound. The eyes of the face were dark once more.

"That should do it," said Jones as he lifted up, wiping his hands on his trousers. He looked back to see the startled Calia holding her chest. "What happened?"

"I...I swallowed wrong," replied Calia. "The machine?"

Jones looked up just as a loud, booming voice sounded from the face.

"Codes accepted. Activating mechanism."

"Well, that went smoother than I expected!" Jones said with a smile.

Then the voice sounded again.

"System failure. Internal data corruption detected. Constructing defense mechanism."

"Ah, hell!" Jones groaned. "Too good to be true, I should have known something would go wrong."

"What do we do?" Calia asked.

Jones took off his hat and ran a frustrated hand through his brown hair: "We've gotta do it the hard way, looks like."

Calia leaned back onto her heels and crossed her arms: "Wonderful. Well, lead the way, Doctor."

He took her down further into the chamber, leading up to an atrium. At the foot of the atrium stood a massive statue, similar to the ones found in the Chambers of the Stars and Sun. Before the statue was a swirling pool of water surrounded by five pedestals. Around the statue were floating crystalline orbs beaming their energy into the stone. As the two humans approached the pool, the statue suddenly came to life. Jones quickly jumped onto the ledge ringing the pool and began to work on another control panel. He looked back just as the statue started firing its eye beams directly at Calia. Calia swiftly rolled out of the way and fired her rifle at it. The bullets scraped harmlessly across the rocky surface of the statue and it fired its beams again. Calia leapt out of the way of the hot rays as they barely came in contact with her boot.

"Dr. Jones!" she called. "What do I do?"

"Take out those crystals," said Jones. "They are the only thing that could shut it down. Keep it distracted while I fix the mechanism."

Calia's sea-green eyes flashed intently as she aimed her rifle for one of the crystals. She felt the jolt of the butt of the rifle against her shoulder as she fired upon the crystal, seeing it burst into a blue-white light. Calia raced between the statue's legs, dodging another beam. The beam's edge grazed against her leather riding jacket, burning a black mark upon it. Calia leapt into the air and fired upon another crystal, seeing it explode in the blue white light. The statue turned around and leaned down, slamming a fist against the stone floor, sending a tremor through the surface. Calia fell, loosing her footing upon the floor as the statue scooped her up into its hands.

"Jones!" she cried. "Jones!"

"Agent Hastings!" said Jones, looking back towards the statue. "Hang on, I'm gonna see if I can disable it from here."

She felt the hands began to squeeze upon her ribs and her lungs began to cave in. Her breath became shallow, pain raced up her back. Calia grunted, clawing at the fingers, trying to pry herself loose.

"Help!" she called. "Help..."

She coughed again, feeling the phantom pain of her previous energy tinge her shoulder.

"Just a little bit more!" Jones called, fiddling with the wires inside the control panel. They began to spark up in front of him and he ducked back, covering his face. He looked back towards Calia and the statue. The statue was still moving, still crushing her. "I can't disable it!"

The ground itself began to violently shake as the stone sections on the floor began to splinter and buckle. The ground all around the statue suddenly heaved up and then fell down, cracks spider-webbed around a central point. A massive black claw thrusted out of the circular crack in the floor as water poured down into the hole. The claw grabbed the statue, lifting it up off the ground. The statue's grip loosened and Calia fell limply from its hand. Another black claw came out of the ground and she landed upon its palm. The claw that held the statue held tightly as it squirmed in its powerful grip. Then, the claw slung the statue against a stone pillar and both the pillar and the statue shattered. Rocks began to fall from the ceiling just a massive black form rose out of the hole. Jones looked back to see the Earth-Warder, Neltharion rise out of the ground as if he was merely separating himself from the stone itself. Jones's own heart pounded when he saw the enormous Black Wyrm rise from the ground. Neltharion growled slightly, his eyes looked to the archeologist. Then, he looked down at Calia lying in his paw. Jones turned back to his work, repairing the last of the wires. The pool came to life with swirling purple and cyan light, a golden beam shooting out from the center of the whirlpool.

"That did it!" called Jones. "Come on, outside!"

Neltharion growled deeply once more and lowered himself back into the hole that he created. As if on command, the stones began to reform, closing the hole that he emerged from. Jones stared at the now solid floor and scratched his head. With a shrug, he ran for the outside just as more ceiling tiles fell. As soon as he made it outside, he found Neltharion, shrunken, sitting down, looking at the unconscious Calia, who was cradled in his arms. Then, his head roved towards the now lit obelisk. Jones rushed over to her and brought out a healing potion. Neltharion set her down upon the sand and Jones lifted her head up to allow her to drink the potion. Calia slowly began to open her eyes and coughed, taking a deep breath. She winced and held her sides, remembering the pain she felt when the statue was crushing her ribs. She let loose a cry, shivering, her eyes closing tightly.

"Calia!" Neltharion said, lifting her up to gently hold her close to him. She lifted her eyes to him, the pain itself finally subsiding.

"You...big...doofus..." she breathed, raising her arms around his shoulders.

The Black Dragon purred, brushing his cheek up against hers. He continued to hold her close, not wanting to let her go. Calia started to squirm a little in his grip.

"Okay, okay, you...you can let me go now..." she said, trying to push him away. Neltharion slowly let go of her. Calia walked around him to look at his back. "Did they fix you?"

"With what they had, they did alright," said Neltharion with a rumble as Calia reached up to touch the plates that were once missing. She tugged at one of them, noticing it was slightly loose.

"I suppose it'll have to do," she said. Neltharion growled slightly when she tugged again upon the plate.

"Quite frankly, I'm glad you're better, Earth-Warder," said Jones. "We'll need your help to get up onto that cliff."

Neltharion turned towards the archeologist: "Before I left, Sullah said those cliffs are crawling with Schnottz's men. Sullah managed to get a hold of a goblin tank and they are going to provide some cover fire as we make it up there. Of course, I can easily just sweep through the rest."

"Did you bring the harness?" asked Calia.

"Of course," said Neltharion, shifting to his true size. He pulled out the harness from behind his back. "Don't want my Prime Consort to fall off."

Calia rolled her eyes and sighed: "You're hopeless, you know that?"

Neltharion gave a cheeky smile as he strapped the riding harness onto his neck. He leaned down so that Calia and Jones could mount up. Just as the Black Dragon rose back onto his feet, Calia was strapping herself in.

"Nel," she began. "How did you know I was in trouble?"

"I am the Earth-Warder," he replied. Neltharion looked back at her and smiled again. "My ears are long."

"You can hear anything that goes on within the depths of Azeroth," said Jones.

"Correct," said Neltharion.

Calia took in a deep breath: "Thank you for saving me, Nel."

"I told you, you need me," he said.

"Let's not go that far," said Calia. "Come on, get moving."

Neltharion rumbled again and spread his wings wide. He bounded off the sands, kicking up the grain as he rose into the air. Calia felt jerk of his body as he took off, taking his first downbeat. He arced his way over the tall cliffs and over a line of artillery tanks.

"Don't fire on those!" called Jones. "That's Sullah's men."

Neltharion looked down upon the tanks and then passed over them, his great shadow shrouding them in darkness. Ahead of them was a large temple-like structure with cascading stairs leading up to its pinnacle. Jones pointed towards the temple.

"That's it," he said. "The Temple of Uldum."

An army stood in the way, combing the many steps.

"Schnottz's men," said Calia.

Just as they were about to make it over the cliff, from behind the tanks began firing on the men. Neltharion banked, allowing one of the rockets to whizz by him.

"Give those guys a taste of your lava, Nel!" Calia called.

The Black Dragon bellowed loudly and dove for the flanks. His jaws spread wide and he released the hissing, molten liquid. His irrupting lava splashed upon the steps, blackening the stone and racing forth, burning away the armed gunmen. He could hear their screams as he let loose another bout of his lava. Gunfire sounded and Neltharion felt the tiny shells impact upon his hard stomach. They were little more than mosquitoes bites to him. He flew around for another pass, diving forth as the wind whistled passed his wings. Again, he breathed his molten magma upon them, setting fire to the base of the structure and melting away the stone. Men dove in flames off the cliffs to their deaths. When the area was cleared, Neltharion made for the plaza of the temple where his snout caught the scent of Schnottz. There the goblin was, standing before an enormous obsidian statue of a Tol'vir, rearing back upon its hind legs.

"Schnottz!" Jones called, seeing the goblin as the dragon circled. "Neltharion, land in that plaza!"

Neltharion backwinged landing near the enormous statue. Schnottz was leaning down over a device, channeling something into it.

"We got you, Schnottz," said Jones as he leapt down from Neltharion's shoulder.

"Jones!" called Schnottz. "And I see you've brought the Earth-Varder vith you. Nice to see you again, Deasvink."

Neltharion's lips pulled back over his racks of teeth and he leaned down, poised in a pouncing stance, growling at the goblin. Schnottz snapped his fingers and the three soon found themselves surrounded by the riflemen. Neltharion chuckled.

"Is this what you plan to stop me with, Schnottz?" he asked. "Pea-shooters? Nothing more than _insects_ to me."

_Yes, they are insects, aren't they?_

_Then squish them like insects._

_Nothing more and nothing less, this world is filled with their kind. Exterminate the lot of them, Deathwing!_

Neltharion's head jerked at the sound of the horrible whispering in his head.

"You still hear zhem, don't you?" asked Schnottz, noticing Neltharion's discomfort. "I know that face very vell. Vhen I met you the first time, you had that same look." He pointed at Neltharion. "They don't care vhat you call yourself. You are and vill always be the Destroyer!"

Calia placed a hand on his neck and Neltharion rumbled, taking comfort in that touch. He gave a shake to his head, trying to clear his mind from the voices he heard.

"Shut up, Schnottz!" called Calia, as she leapt down from his back. She held up her badge for Schnottz to see. "Enough is enough! By order of King Varian Wynn of the Alliance, I hear by place you under arrest for crimes of terrorism against Stormwind and the Alliance."

"An agent of SI:7?" asked Schnottz. "So, you betray me and your flight to join up vith SI:7? Tell me, Earth-Varder, do they pay better?" Schnottz looked back at Calia. "If you think you and your drunken pet can stop me, human, you have another thing coming!"

Schnottz pointed his strange device up at the obsidian, colossal tol'vir and fired a beam at it. Suddenly, right before Neltharion, the statue slowly creaked to life. Behind him, the gate to the temple collapsed into a rubble. Not that it would stop him from leaving. However, he knew he had to do something about the now living obsidian statue making its way towards him. Several of Schnottz's own men in confusion began to fire upon the statue as Schnottz backed away from the fray.

"You von't live to see your precious Coffer, Jones!" said Schnottz as he ran off up the steps further into the temple.

"Not so fast, Schnottz!" Jones shouted after him, following. Just then he found Schnottz climbing into a hot air balloon and taking off.

"Zhat vhat you seek vill soon be mine!" he called leaving Jones and the others to deal with the colossus. Jones looked back to see Neltharion swiping at the obsidian tol'vir.

"Jones!" he bellowed. "Go get the Coffer, I'll handle this thing! Calia, go with him!"

"What about you?" asked Calia.

"Don't worry about me," he said, grabbing hold of the enormous statue's claws. "Just go!"

She felt the ground tremble as Neltharion slammed the statue against the side of the temple ruins. The wings of the tol'vir broke off, falling hard to the ground. Calia and Jones made for the upper part of the temple looking out over the Oasis of Vir'sar. There was nothing more than a lovely view.

"Where is it?" Calia asked, looking around her in desperation. "Where's the Coffer of Promise? Isn't it supposed to be here?"

"According to my notes," said Jones. "It is. It's hidden." He rolled up his sleeves and turned towards a control panel on the far side of the arena. "There!" He made for it, kneeling down to the panel and began to type in some codes. Calia looked behind her to find a strange glowing, golden shield appear, sparkling with a hum.

"This should do it..." said Jones and the shield went down, revealing a massive, golden box with two winged tol'vir upon its top. Jones got up and both he and Calia slowly approached the strange chest. "Will you look at that? Calia, we've done it!"

Just then, a sound of massive wings flapping rose up behind them as a rush of wind flowed over them.

"Nel?" asked Calia as she turned around. It was not Neltharion. There was Schnottz in his hot air balloon with a rifle in his hand. Beside him was Jethrian. The black dragon landed upon the opposite side of Jones and Calia, right behind the Coffer of Promise, barring their way. He growled deeply.

"Thought you could get away, eh, mortal?" he asked. "Too bad Lord Deathwing isn't here to save you!"

"Nel!" Calia called, looking up at Jet.

"Silence, human!" shouted Schnottz. He turned towards Jones. "I must say, very nice work, Jones. Not only have you led me right to the Coffer, but you removed its protective shielding."

He jumped off the balloon's edge and walked towards Calia and Schnottz.

"Now, you shall vitness zhe destruction of zhat vhich you hold so dear!" he said.

"The Coffer?" asked Jones. "You wouldn't!"

"No!" called Calia. "You don't know what you're doing!"

"I know very well vhat I'm doing," said Schnottz. "Zhat artifact is zhe only thing preventing me from using zhe reorigination mechanism. Vonce I have it under my control, all of Azeroth will bow before Commander Schnottz!"

"And we black dragons will finally rule this planet as its true masters," said Jethrian. "And I will personally kill Neltharion, the Earth-Warder!"

"You can't do that either!" Calia said, turning back to the dragon. "You need him! He is Azeroth. Without him, this whole planet will fall apart, a lot worse than what the Cataclysm did to it." She turned to Schnottz. "You'll be ruling a dead, shattered world, Schnottz. How do you like that?"

"Vith the power of the Titans at my command," said Schnottz. "I vill remake this world into a paradise! My paradise! Now, step aside!"

"Funny, I had the same idea, Schnottz," bellowed a deep voice from behind the ruined temple. "And look what it got me!"

Jethrian looked behind him to find Neltharion's massive head appearing above the roof of the temple.

"Words like that only harm the sayer and those around him," said Neltharion.

"Deashvink," said Schnottz. "Even you will bow before my might! Jet, let the Aspect of Death meet his end here!"

"Jethrian," began Neltharion. "I remember your name now. Don't do this. Don't make me destroy you..."

"Like you did Myzerian?" asked Jet. "You horrible, malicious bastard! First Sintharia and now one of your sons! When will our torment end? When Schnottz remakes this world, we will rule it without you!" He bellowed out, spreading his wings. "We don't need you anymore!"

Neltharion shook his head and prepared to step over the ruin, ready to strike upon the smaller black dragon.

"Ah!" called Schnottz, pointing his gun at Calia. "Don't make a move or the pretty vone gets it."

Jethrian stepped back and slammed his paw upon Calia and Jones.

"Calia!" called Neltharion.

"You care for this human?" he asked. "Who is she to you?"

"She's...she's my..." Neltharion began. "My...you let her go!"

"I see," said Jethrian. "Not only are you a betrayer of the other dragonflights, and you've betrayed your own, but you've replaced Sintharia with a pathetic, weak mortal! You wish to pollute our great and powerful flight with the blood of a human!" He lowered his head to the two humans squirming under his paw. "Say it, Lord Neltharion, say who she is."

"My Prime Consort," said Neltharion, shrinking back.

"Bestiality!" said Jethrian. "You wish to mate with such animals! Disgusting. They are nothing more than food, not fit to bare our whelplings. How dare you do such a thing!" He looked down upon Calia, seeing her scars peeking out from her shirt. "So...what I was told from Onyxia and Nefarian was true. Why hello, Princess Calia Menethil of Lordaeron."

"She's vhat?" asked Schnottz. He looked upon the brunette-haired, tanned woman struggling under the black dragon's paw. "Of course! Now, I can see it! She has the look of her brother Arthas, the Lich King." He walked around Calia and smirked. "Perhaps I von't kill you just yet, my sweet. You vill prove useful vhen I go to the Alliance."

"The mighty Lord Deathwing, in order to become the king of Alterac, married Calia Menethil," said Jethrian. "But I never knew you loved her, Deathwing."

"I'm not Deathwing anymore!" Neltharion bellowed.

Just as he was about to strike Jethrian, a voice sounded from inside the Coffer.

"Ouch, come on now, ye buggar..."

Schnottz turned to the Coffer, looking at it with curiosity.

"Vhat vas zhat?" he asked. He shook his head. "Eh, no matter. In a moment, nothing vill remain of any of this!"

Then, the Coffer began to glow brightly, pulsating with golden light. Jones closed his eyes.

"You should close your eyes, Princess," he said. "This ain't gonna be pretty."

"Nel!" shouted Calia. "Close your eyes."

Neltharion shut his eyes tightly as the Coffer continued to pulsate.

"Destroy zhe..." began Schnottz. He paused when he heard a hum sound from the Cofer. "Vait, vhat is zhat?"

As the Coffer begins to open up, two beams of light flowed out from it, hitting both Schnottz and Jethrian. Jethrian toppled over, his body growing still. Schnottz though was reduced to a blackened stain on the stone floor. Calia and Jones quickly rolled away from the black dragon's paw.

"Nel!" called Calia. "It's alright! They're dead!"

Neltharion stepped over onto the arena as the Coffer completed opened up. He slowly knelt before Jethrian and picked up the dead dragon's head. He sighed in dismay and wagged his head once more. Another black dragon lost to him. Calia and Jones approached the Coffer as a dwarf hopped out of it.

"Ah!" said the dwarf. "At last, fresh air!"

He walked towards Jones and Calia, laughing at them.

"Two steps ahead of you again, junior!" he said. "As usual! But it's about time you showed up. I've been expectin' ye fer days now. Leaving and ol' dwarf ta swelter...I trained Junior better than that!"

"Sorry about that, Brann," said Jones, taking off his hat to scratch his head. "But it's good to see you again."

"Aye," Brann nodded. "Good to see you too. And who do we have here?" He turned to Calia. "Ain't you a pretty lass? Shoulda known why Jones took so long. He's been holdin' hands with ye, takin' in the sights, I'll wager!"

"Excuse me, what?" asked Calia. "You think that Harrison Jones and I are...Dr. Jones, who is this?"

"Brann Bronzebeard, at yer service, ma'am," said Brann. "High Explorer of the Explorer's Guild and Prince of Ironforge. And you are?"

"Agent Calia Hasting, SI:7," began Calia. She then bowed. "Uh, your highness."

"Ah, don't go putting on titles there, m'lady, especially after I heard your real name being spoken just earlier," said Brann. "Princess of Lordaeron."

"Does everyone have to know now?" asked Calia. "I might as well start wearing a sign on my front! Well, since that secret's out...may I introduce my husband..." She motioned at Neltharion who was still solemnly mourning over Jethrian. "King Daval Prestor I of Alterac."

"By the Light itself!" shouted Brann. "That's Deathwing!"

Neltharion lifted his head up and gazed down upon the dwarf with curiosity. He then straightened his back and cleared his throat.

"My name is Neltharion," he said. "I am the Aspect of Earth."


	16. XVI

**XVI**

Brann Bronzebeard walked around Neltharion's enormous form, inspecting it from head to toe. He reached out to touch the black, shiny scales on the dragon's foreleg. He then motioned for Neltharion to lean his head down.

"Let's have a look at ye," said Brann.

Neltharion leaned his head sideways while the dwarf inspected his earhole. He pulled upon Neltharion's mutton chops and then moved around to the front of his snout. Brann climbed up upon the enormous, pointed, metallic chin brace and up upon the dragon's snout. He swung around the horn and came to one of the enormous green eyes. Neltharion blinked as Brann drew in close to the eye. Neltharion's brow raised and his eyes crossed, his vision blurring as the dwarf came too close for him to even focus. He blinked several times, his eye ball sensing the scraggly beard of the dwarf coming uncomfortably close to it. Brann felt the tiny lashes of the dragon fan him slightly. The dwarf closed one eye and then moved in closer. Neltharion's eyes opened wide.

"Look to the left, if you don't mind," said Brann.

The massive pupil turned to the left as Brann inspected his eye even more.

"Look down," he said and Neltharion did so. Then, Brann reached up and pulled violently upon one of the eyelashes, tearing it from the Black Dragon's lid. Neltharion growled.

"Hey!" Neltharion shouted. "What do you think you're doing, dwarf?"

Brann ignored the Earth-Warder as he bit into the black eyelash, sitting down upon the Black Dragon's scaly cheek. Neltharion's eyebrows cocked in confusion as to what this dwarf was after by tasting his eyelash. Brann licked his lips, taking note of the metallic taste the lash had upon his tongue.

"Tastes like all the strongest and most precious metals of the world all combined into one," he said. "And if it not for the pupil, I'd say yer eyes look like real polished emeralds."

"Uh...thank you?" Neltharion swallowed.

Calia shook her head and sat down. Brann leaned down upon the snout and took a sniff.

"Smells like a mixture of fine peat, fresh salt of the earth, and a little bit of the inside of a newly formed volcano," he said.

"What is he doing?" asked Calia.

"He's inspecting the Earth-Warder," said Jones. "It's what he does."

Brann leaned back and brought out a fresh wine skin. As he popped the cork, he let the brew breathe just slightly before taking a drink. Neltharion caught the scent of the fresh wine and his mouth suddenly began to water. He ran his pink tongue along his upper lip, hoping to get a taste of the wine.

"Uh, could I trouble you for some of that wine you've got?" Neltharion asked, his eyes batting with need.

"Eh, you drink?" asked Brann.

"He's grown a bit of a taste for spirits," said Calia.

"Hmmm..." began Brann. He pulled out another wine skin and came to the edge of Neltharion's snout. The Black Dragon opened his mouth and stuck out his tongue, ready to receive the wine. He poured out the wine skin onto the tongue, allowing it to splash and then drip down Neltharion's throat. The Black Dragon rumbled pleasantly. Brann scratched his beard. "I don't seem to recall Deathwing ever liking wine of any sort."

"Deathwing may not have," said Calia. "But Neltharion does. A lot."

Neltharion lowered his head upon the ground and smiled happily, his eyes becoming slightly heavily-lidded.

"Doesn't quite smell like Deathwing either," said Brann. "Though, he does look the part. That chin of his is no mistake. But that smile...and those eyes...isn't Deathwing supposed to be insane as well as his flight going insane? I don't see any sort of insanity in this dragon. First black dragon I've met that wasn't a little out of his gourd." He gave a shrug. "I must say, I can't go wrong with a dragon who likes his ale." He once more leaned in a little closer to Neltharion's eyes. "The Earth-Warder, you say? I did read somewhere a long time ago that there were five Dragon Aspects, and one of them being the Earth-Warder. But then, he became Deathwing when he became maddened by something. Hmmm..."

"Old Gods," said Calia. "That's what did it."

"Ah, those slimy tentacle monsters that live in the core of Azeroth," said Brann, looking back at the agent. "I've tangled with one of them once. One squiddy looking bastard named C'Thun while I went searching for the origins of the Dwarven race." He scratched his beard again. "Each time you'd go near that ugly monster, you risked your own sanity in the process. I'm lucky to even still have my head on my shoulder. I could have left Ulduar as a babbling idiot!"

"You've faced an Old God?" asked Neltharion.

"With a little help of some adventurers I picked up along the way," said Brann. "Aye. Not only that, we killed the bastard!"

"Killed him?" asked Neltharion.

"Aye, dead as doornails," said Brann. "And good riddin's too. Also had to face a Titan unfortunately succumbed to the monster's spell as well."

Neltharion sighed and his eyes turned away: "Even the Titans can be affected by those horrible beings."

"Aye," said Brann. "Unfortunate as it were. Had to put him down too. But my adventures in Ulduar led me here when I heard the Titan speak of a device that could reformat the planet, stripping it of the life that currently lives on it and then remake new life. The Coffer of Promise is the very thing to disable that device. Which is why I came in search for it. And so, here I am."

The dwarf let loose a hearty laugh, patting Neltharion's snout.

"Never thought the being we all know as Deathwing would be after it too," he said. "But I suppose I had a feeling that it would have happened eventually. You intend to use it for its purpose?"

"I'm here to destroy it," said Neltharion. "It threatens the life that exists upon Azeroth. I know that this device could be the means of destroying all of the Old Gods, but..."

"Is it worth the price?" Brann asked.

"No," said Neltharion. "I...I so much want to make them pay for what they did to me, turning me into that monster, twisting my need to protect this world into acts of genocide. I want to find a way to destroy all the Old Gods without harming the life on Azeroth in the process. But I can't do that if there's a device out there that can mess all that up. My duties is to protect the land, protect the life that lives on the land, guide it, nurture it. This mission I am on...it is my penance for going against those duties I was constructed for."

Brann lifted a hand to his chin and rubbed it in deep thought: "So, it is true, the Aspects were beings not chosen, but created by the Titans. You never had a childhood, did you?"

Neltharion turned his eyes away.

"As I thought," said Brann. "You and the rest of the Aspects are more like the programmed machines in Ulduar and Udlum than truly living beings. But the difference between you and those things is free will. You choose to do what you were programmed to do rather feeling that you have to."

"Neltharion's a machine?" Calia. "I...never knew that."

"A biological machine," said Brann. "But a machine nonetheless." He laughed again. "I mean, one time, dwarves were nothing more than stone creatures!" He leaned into Neltharion again. "I read that my ancestors, the Earthen, and you and your flight were almost like kindred spirits. We worked together to help shape this world under the Titan's orders. Then, perhaps like those olden times, you and I can work together to disable this threat to our precious world, eh?"

"I go where I am needed," said Neltharion. "I will enjoy working with you, Brann Bronzebeard."

"And maybe afterwards, we'll celebrate with a good drink!" said Brann.

"Oh, he'll like that too!" said Calia with a laugh. "Don't drink too much, honey."

The great Black snorted. Brann hopped off of Neltharion's snout and dusted himself off.

"Well, the sooner we get to the Cradle, sooner we can get what we need to shut down the mechanism," he said.

"Cradle?" asked Jones.

"Junior!" said Brann. "Didn't think the Coffer was just the end, did you? Haven't you been paying attention? It's only the beginning!" He turned back to Neltharion. "Tell me, lad, could you be so kind and pick the Coffer up and take it to the place I tell you?"

Neltharion rumbled and nodded. He leaned down to Calia and she mounted up upon his shoulders, helping Jones and Brann up as well. Then, Neltharion rose and picked the Coffer up into his claws, holding it close to his chest. He then launched into the air, taking a gliding start off the cliff and over the oasis. Brann looked over his shoulder, watching one of the massive wings dip down as Neltharion banked to the right. The wing itself was so long that the dwarf could have sworn the dragon could touch the ground with its tip despite his altitude.

"Amazing, just amazing," he whispered. "Uh, Earth-Warder, the Cradle of the Ancients is over there."

Neltharion nodded and banked left, softly flapping his wings as he flew towards a temple set in a dune. He backwinged and landed near the temple, lowering the Coffer down before an enormous, golden face. He positioned the Coffer just under the face as Calia, Brann, and Jones got off.

"Nice work, laddie," said Brann as he made his way to the Coffer. "Well, looks like everythin's in one piece. Now, let's open her up and see what we got here."

Brann knelt down to the Coffer and began to work. Just then, the eyes of the face glowed, shooting two golden, powerful beams onto the lid of the coffer. Calia looked up at the face. Her eyes slowly began to lock upon its eyes and once more she felt herself drawn to it. There were the tubes and the purple energy. She saw an enormously muscular man wearing a fiery red beard and a gray tunic standing before the massive tube. He watched silently over the tube. The purple energy flowed from him and into the tube where the dark form rested. Crystalline spines of glowing blue and purple lined the back of the creature. Its scales sparkled like polished onyx. Veins of gold and silver etched their way between the groves of the scales. It had a beard, flowing long and clean and wild, like the primal energies of the world itself. Great bat wings folded around the great body of the black creature. Then, she heard the muscular man speak to the creature.

"_My blessing upon you will seem humble compared to those who have been bestowed upon the others: the managing of time, of life, of dreams, and magic. I offer you the earth. The soil, the ground, the deep places. But know that the earth is the basis of all things. It is where we are rooted. Where you must come from, if you are to go. Here is whence true strength comes. From deep places...within the world, and within one's self."_

With that the eyes of the creature opened, glistening like emerald gems.

"Calia?" called a voice, interrupting her thoughts. The black face she watched morphed into a face more familiar to her, its chin now covered in a metal brace, its horns adorned in metal, armored plates. Still, those emerald eyes sparkled. Calia blinked as her vision cleared.

"Nel?" she asked. Almost with subconscious thought, Calia walked to his forepaw and leaned upon it, holding it. Neltharion did not protest. He rumbled and softly nuzzled her. The ground around the Coffer came to life, blossoming with lovely flowers and grass. Water spilled out of ducts from the temple above, feeding the life that grew around the Cradle. The Coffer had turned the little plot of land into a lovely oasis. Calia could smell the sweet scent of the flowers and heard the sounds of birds singing in the trees while bees buzzed around the garden.

"Amazing!" said Jones. "I never knew the Coffer had this kind of power!"

"I did not expect this either," said Brann as he reached up and grabbed several disks from inside the Coffer. "Ah, here we are. This is what I was looking for."

"Do you have the means of shutting down the device?" Neltharion asked looking up at the dwarf.

"Aye," said Brann. "Well, Junior, I suppose you can call for your choppers and get the Coffer out of here. I know that's what you came for."

"I can give them a call now," said Jones, igniting a signal flare. "This artifact will be delivered to the Museum of Archeology in Stormwind."

"You're not going with us?" asked Calia.

"I'm afraid not," said Jones. "I came here for the Coffer and I will leave with it. I want everyone to enjoy this magnificent artifact of our past and I need to make sure it gets there safely."

Neltharion and Calia looked up as they felt the wind rush around them. Three helicopters began to descend down upon the Coffer and ropes were being flung over it. Jones began to securely tie the Coffer to the ropes and then gave a tug. He and the Coffer slowly began to rise up into the golden sunrise above.

"I'll see you two around!" he called. "Perhaps in Stormwind! You can see my accomplishments there! It was nice working with the both of you."

"Good luck, Dr. Jones!" said Calia.

"Fair winds," said Neltharion. As the Coffer passed over the temple, he turned towards the dwarf who now held the Disks of Origination in his hands. Brann was laughing again.

"All he got was a pretty box, but it is these that are the most important piece!" said Brann. "Well..." he lifted the disks up for Calia and Neltharion to see. "The Halls of Origination, that is where the device lies. With these disks, we can begin our mission in making sure that device cannot be used by anyone with ill intent."

"Where are the Halls of Origination?" Neltharion asked.

"Due east," replied the dwarf. "Near the desert sands of Tanaris. It would be a walk, but, I'm sure you can shorten the trip."

Neltharion gave a chuckle and then turned back to Calia. She seemed lost in thought, her eyes unfocused.

"Calia?" he began. "Is there something wrong?"

"Your gift," she said. "Remember I said you were jealous that all you got was dirt while the others got all the special powers? And I thought that was why you became Deathwing..."

"Yes?" Neltharion asked. "What about it?"

"I'm sorry I said that," she said. Calia turned around and looked deeply into his eyes. "I don't know what it is about this place, but, I feel something that connects you to it. Then, Brann said you never had a childhood, you were created just as you are, created to be the Aspect of Earth, not given the position. Nel, I think this is where you were made."

Neltharion paused and took a look around him.

"My Titan was involved in this place's construction for he had the knowledge to unmake and remake the world," he said. Neltharion's head lowered and he took in a deep breath. "That knowledge he imparted upon me. This place, in a way was my birthplace. But I was not completed until I was sent to Wyrmrest. It was there...the final process began. But this place...it holds something special to me. It's no wonder why Deathwing was so interested in it."

"The power over the land, the deep places, including the ones inside ourselves," said Calia. "That's no humble gift. You are the strength that keeps all of us going, I never really believed that until now. This world just might fall apart if you did."

"It already has, lass," said Brann. "When we lost the Earth-Warder to the Old Gods, what do you think happened to Azeroth? I'm glad he got the sense knocked back into him or we would have been in worse trouble than we are now."

Neltharion leaned down to allow Calia and Brann to mount up. As he took to the morning sky, Brann began to look over the disks.

"If I can remember correctly," he began. "There's a few trials we have to go through in order to get to the control room."

"Wonderful," said Calia.

"The Titans set booby traps to make sure no one went around messin' with their stuff," said Brann. "It's understandable."

As Neltharion turned, Calia looked upon a massive structure and a pyramid at the center of the vast overlook of the desert. The sun began to glint off the surface of the pyramid, casting a shade of gold upon the ground. Several obelisks lined with strange and ancients hieroglyphs lined the sides of the entrance while fearsome guardian statues watched the plaza. Each of these four statues held the face of a lovely woman, a bird, a ram, and a jackal. Neltharion's eyes narrowed when he saw the statues, remembering something familiar about them. The enormous Black Aspect backwinged as he landed upon the plaza.

"Well, no time like the present," said Brann as he swiftly ran for the entrance. Both Neltharion and Calia rushed after him. As they made their way inside, they came to a vast room filled with sand, golden pillars, blue lights and a swirling purple vortex. Neltharion squeezed himself passed the opening and into the chamber with the vortex. Much to his surprise, Brann rushed in without a single thought.

"What?" he asked. He looked down at Calia who then shrugged and leapt in as well. "Calia!"

Neltharion paused before the vortex with some hesitation and stared at it. Then, with a hard swallow, he went in as well. He appeared out onto the other side facing a large corridor and cascading stairs leading up to a central area inside the pyramid itself. Brann was there, scratching his beard in thought.

"Up there is a guardian," he said. "One of the ancient stone tol'vir that the Titans created to guard this place. He'll be none too happy to see us, knowing what we're about to do."

Neltharion took in a deep breath and puffed out his chest. He began to take a step towards the enormous tol'vir, ascending the steps. He held his head high and his walk was of poise and stately purpose. Neltharion felt himself connect to that which he once was long ago before his corruption. Within the Halls of Origination, he felt hat part of himself coming back to him.

"Nel!" called Calia.

"Stay right there," he said. "This is what I have to do."

"Better let him do it, lass," said Brann. "This will be interesting to see."

The obsidian tol'vir pointed his staff at Neltharion.

"Turn back, intruder!" he called. "These halls must not be disturbed. I judge all who come here."

"Then judge me," said Neltharion. "I am the Earth-Warder, created and empowered by Khaz'goroth, Maker of Worlds. Judge me for who and what I am."

"Speak your name, then," said the tol'vir. "What name do you call yourself?"

"The name that was given to me," he replied. "Neltharion. I am the Rock and Stone of the Earth, the Heart of Azeroth, the guardian of this world. I have come here so that I may protect Azeroth as I always should."

The tol'vir stood there, studying him intently. Then, his eyes lit up and he bowed before Neltharion.

"You are indeed welcomed here, Earth-Warder," he said. "I permit you to pass."

Neltharion swiftly motioned for Calia and Brann to follow before the tol'vir could rise again.

"That was easy," said Calia.

"What worked on him won't work on the others," said Neltharion.

As they passed the tol'vir, a walkway made from rising tiles formed a path to where they needed to go next. As they made their way down the dark corridor, Calia looked up to see several lanes of blue glowing tubes leading to the next area. They came across a glowing platform inside a circular chamber where more and more of the glowing tubes leading upward. She almost felt a sense of vertigo from looking all the way up where the tubes lead. Brann scratched his beard again.

"Hmmm..." he began. "By my notations, the control room should be that way." Then he shrugged "Well, when in doubt, go with yer gut."

Neltharion let loose a rumble, his mind projecting into Calia's: _My__ gut__'__s __telling__ me__ it__'__s __breakfast._

"Later, honey," she whispered back at him.

_And I'm still thirsty for some of that wine he's got!_

"Nel!" called Calia. "Shhh! Let the dwarf think."

He came to an indenture in the wall and some stairs leading to a door at the bottom.

"Ah, here we are," said Brann. He knelt down to the intricate designed, bronze door before him. "Alright, let's go. Just need to input the final entry sequence into the door mechanism...and..." Brann continued to tap out a sequence of codes into the door's control holopanel at the side. The door chimed and lights flashed all around it. "That did the trick! The control room should be right behind this..." Brann paused as the door opened up to a vast chamber of mirrors, stone, lights, and tubing. "Wow..."

Massive lit columns filled the chamber. Brann scratched his head.

"What?" he began. "This isn't the control room! There's another entire defense mechanism in place!"

"Brann," began Neltharion, stepping through the door. "We will have to disable this defense to even get where we need to go. As long as they are in place, we cannot disable the device."

"Aye," said Brann. "We've got our work cut out for us. What could all these mirrors mean?" He looked around. "Let me think fer a moment. Mirrors pointing all over the place..." He began to walk down and saw four platforms between the pillar. Standing upon them were elementals of earth, fire, wind, and water. "And four platforms with huge elementals..." Then, he snapped his fingers. "Ah, I get it! This is the Vault of Mirrors! Neltharion, is there any way that you could talk to these elementals like you did with that tol'vir? If they lower their guard, it'll trigger the opening sequence to the door."

"I can try," said Neltharion.

Elementals, the building bases of the world itself. Though the Elemental Lords were the lieutenants for the Old Gods, there were elementals that held no allegiance to those horrible monsters. These elementals worked for the Titans. Neltharion stepped out onto the path and looked to each of the platforms. The elementals watched him and then stood aside. As they did so, they revealed the mirrors they stood in front of. Lights beamed into the mirrors, and then bounced onto another set of mirrors finally coming to a central point at the far end of the vault.

"It worked for the second time," said Calia. "You are handy to have around after all, Nel."

Neltharion chuckled and smiled a cheeky smile.

"That's it!" said Brann, cheering on. Neltharion turned to the enormous door at the far end of the vault as it slowly slid open. Brann rushed out in between Neltharion's forelegs, followed by Calia. "Now we can...oh no..."

Neltharion, Calia, and Brann stood still as a massive Titan construct came out of the door.

"This unit has been activated outside normal operating protocols," it said. "Downloading new operational parameters. Download complete. Full unit self defense routines are now active. Destruction of foreign units in this system shall now commence."

"Uh, Nel, how about that one?" Calia asked, pointing up at the mobile, humanoid construct.

"Uh," began Neltharion. "I am the..."

"Purge of unauthorized entities commencing," said the unit.

"Well, I'm actually authorized to be here..." Neltharion began, backing up just as the eyes of the construct began to light up.

"Alpha beams activated," it said. "Target tracking commencing..."

"Now, you don't want to do that..." said Neltharion. Then, twin beams of heat fired from the construct's eyes, impacting upon Neltharion's chest and sending him flying back against a pillar. The pillar cracked upon the dragon's great weight and its top fell upon him, hitting him on the crown of his head. "Ow..."

"Nel!" Calia called, cocking her rifle. "Great!"

"Targeting secondary entity," said the unit.

"Oh, no you don't!" she called.

"Run, lass!"

The beams fired upon her, sweeping across the floor as Calia swiftly rolled out of the way. Neltharion rose up, moving the pillar out off of his chest. She fired upon the construct, her bullets cracking one of its eyes. The construct stepped backwards, holding its eye.

"Optic damaged..." it said. "Omega sequence commencing. Purging of foreign entities imminent."

The construct raised its hands up and called forth a storm of black energy from the ceiling. The energy struck the ground all around Calia and she rolled out of the way each time a bolt struck. Neltharion's eyes widened, watching the woman he cared so much for becoming fried by the construct's energy.

"You leave Calia alone!" he bellowed. Neltharion pounced upon the construct, raking his claws against the chest of the construct. The black bolts ceased and Calia ran for the door along with Brann. The construct threw the Black Dragon off its chest and fired its eye beams again upon him. Neltharion was once more thrown back by the energy. He fanned a wing in front of him, shielding himself from the pain of the beam. He rose again and swung his tail around, his blade slicing against the construct's waist. The construct was struck, an enormous gash etched across his stomach. The construct fell, holding its stomach as it collapsed to the floor.

"Anraphet unit shutting down..." it said, its speech growing slower and deeper until it was finally silenced.

Neltharion breathed heavily, holding his chest and his shoulder. He slowly began to limp through the door, following down another corridor to another round room with tubes leading up to the top. He breathed heavily, pausing to hold his shoulder. Calia looked up at him.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"I'll...live," he said. "Titan defenses can...hurt." He looked around, trying to see where Brann was. "Where's Brann?"

"He went on ahead," she said. "To try and see if he can deactivate the reorgination mechanism."

Neltharion settled down with a painful grunt. Calia looked over to find one of the wounds he received was bleeding. Hot magma oozed out of the wound, splashing upon the surface of the floor, and hissing at it did so. Calia walked over to the other side of the mighty Black and rubbed his foreleg.

"I'm...starting to miss Northrend," said Neltharion. "I'm starting to think I shouldn't have come here. Alexstrasza is right, maybe I'm not ready to handle things after being locked up for 10 thousand years."

"Don't listen to her," said Calia. "You've done just fine so far."

"So far..." Neltharion snorted. He looked up at shaft above, sensing a great power up there. "It's not over yet."

Brann came out from a door: "Well, I've got good news and I've got..." He shook his head. "No, scratch that, there's only bad news."

"What?" asked Calia. "What happened?"

"Someone's gone and corrupted the system," said Brann. "There's no way I can access the the main repository from this console. We're gunna hafta do this the hard way. I hope you an' yer friends here are up to a fight."

"What kind of fight?" asked Neltharion.

There be four guardians on the upper level of this place," said Brann, pointing upwards. "I won't be able ta utilize these discs 'til they be... uhh, offline, shall we say."

Neltharion sighed and rose to his feet. He looked upwards and nodded.

"I'll take them out," he said. "You two go on ahead to the control room."

"Nel?" began Calia. "Are you sure? You're wounded."

"I'll be fine," said Neltharion. He knelt down. "Get on. I'll take you up."

Calia and Brann got onto his back and the Black Dragon rose up through the circular opening at the top. He came to to the level and saw four sections where four watchers with the same features as the statues outside, a bird, a ram, a jackal, and a humanoid woman, awoke from their long slumber upon their thrones. Each watcher, servants of the Titans, were dressed in corresponding colors of blue, purple, gold, and green. Neltharion knew them very well, his rooted knowledge began to speak to him. The woman dressed in blue was Isiset and she represented magic, the ram in green was Ammunae, and he represented life, the jackal in purple was Setesh and he represented the energies of chaos, and finally the bird in gold and orange was Rajh, and he represented the sun's radiance. Before each watcher could reach the edge where the Black Dragon was, Neltharion then lifted his mortal companions up to the third level and set them down.

"I'll distract them!" he called as he lowered back down to the level of the four watchers. "That should give you enough time to deactivate the device!"

"Nel!" called Calia, running for the opening, looking down upon him.

"I'll be alright, Calia," said Neltharion. "Get to work, Brann!"

The circular opening closed an iris, leaving Neltharion to face his enemies alone.

"Worldbreaker!" called Isiset, pointing at him. "Do not think we are blind to your sins!"

"You have betrayed your Creator," said Ammunae.

"Not that I don't mind a little chaos in the world," said Setesh. "However there is a time and a place for it."

"Now, you must answer for your crimes!" called Rajh.

"I have paid for my crimes," said Neltharion. "Many times over for listening to the voices of the deep. But if you wish to give me a trial, then so be it. I'll pass it anyway."

All at once the four guardians combined their powers and sent a rage of their energy forth onto Neltharion. The Black Dragon bellowed out in pain as the heat of their energy seeped in deep into his form. His roar shook the whole of the structure. Neltharion felt himself begin to expand outward. Rips formed all along his body, his blood oozing out from the tears. He could feel his metal plates being pulled taunt by the expansion, painfully grabbing at the holes made in his scales. Neltharion closed his eyes tightly, bellowing out in agony as his body expanded further. Heat from his body began to burn around the edges of the opening his body was forced through. Neltharion's eyes glowed with raging fire.

"I can feel your rage, Destroyer!" called Setesh. "I can feel it boiling!"

_Give into your rage, whelp! Release me with your rage..._

_No..._

Neltharion jerked.

_Do something! _

_Come on, whelp, you cannot fight us for long._

_Fill this place with your fire._

"Your thoughts betray your true self, Worldbreaker," said Rajh.

"You should have never betrayed your 'father'," said Ammunae.

"Now, give into your punishment!" said Isiset.

"I...I have done no wrong!" shouted Neltharion, trying to fight against their power and his expanding body. "I...I was tormented, splintered, controlled by monsters! I am not the monster!"

"Do not lie to us!" shouted Rajh.

"The armor that you wear shows what you have done to yourself in seeking such power," said Isiset.

"That power which is destroying you from the inside," said Setesh.

"Now, let us end you at last," said Rajh.

"Your time has come," said Ammunae.

"No!" shouted Neltharion. "I am the Guardian of Azeroth."

_You guard nothing more than dirt and soot._

_A pitiful waste of a gift and a pitiful waste of a dragon._

_You are nothing!_

"Your coming here shows how much you love this world," said Rajh. "If you seek to the destroy the only thing that can cure it!"

"It's not worth the price of destroying the lives that exist upon it!" Neltharion growled, shifting, ducking away from their concentrated power.

"What do we care about failed experiments upon a failed world?" asked Isiset. "You are just as much of a failure as they are."

"This world should be remade," said Ammunae. "With better, stronger life. Not the pathetic diseased creatures that walk upon it."

"We will wipe this world clean and start anew," said Setesh.

"No!" Neltharion bellowed, his heat growing outward. The four guardians slowly began to back away from him, feeling the intense heat of his body. "You will not destroy the innocent of this world! I protect it!"

"You protect filth," said Isiset. "Nothing more. All the Aspects are failures. They were fooled by you, and now they refused to correct such an oversight."

"No matter, we will correct it for them," said Setesh.

"No one calls my brothers and sisters failures!" Neltharion roared, spreading his heat outward. He turned to Setesh. "You want to feel my rage? Here it is!" He bellowed out, smoke and fire blasting forth from his body. "I am...your destruction!"

_I am free!_

Neltharion felt two claws reach out from the blackness of his mind and yank him away from the control of his body. As the fires and smoke rushed forth, filling the four chambers where the watchers once sat, his vision became cloudy, distorted. Sounds were muffled. He knew this, he knew this very well. He could not feel, he could not taste, he could only see and hear, with what little he did see and hear. He could sense his body move not by his own command. The enormous, hulking figure that was the Black Aspect, pushed his way through the Halls of Origination and blasted a hole into the side of the pyramid. He made his way to the pyramid towards the left. One final guardian was there, a fiery bone wrath who guarded the firing mechanism of the device itself. The Black Wyrm blasted the bone wraith into ashes and set his sights upon the device. Neltharion deep inside of his mind shivered as he watched his body move.

_Now,__ watch__ as __the__ only__ hope __to __slay __my__ Masters__ is __destroyed!_ Sounded the familiar, haunting, sinister voice. Neltharion thought he killed him, thought he merged with him, thought he found a way to rid himself of him, but it was for naught. Deathwing was still there, waiting, biding his time to strike. And Neltharion helped him get to the device, the thing he wanted. His eyes welled with tears as he watched through the distorted vision as Deathwing made his way to the device.

Far inside the control room, Brann and Calia felt the floor tremble beneath them. Then, it fell silent.

"The Earth-Warder must have shut them them down," said Brann. "Good work, lad."

"Where is he?" Calia asked.

"Probably outside waiting for us," said Brann. He walked over to a control panel and brought out the disks. "I must admit, I couldn't have done this without both you and your husband's help."

As the control panel came to life, a voice sounded.

"Accessing data...please stand by."

"Yeah, yeah," said Brann. "Just read the disks and gimme access already..."

The control panel began to scan the disks.

"Accessing reorigination device override."

There we go," he said. "That should do it."

Calia sighed in relief: "Thank the Light."

"Repository access denied. Reorigination subroutine initiated."

"What?" Brann asked. "Wait! No!"

"I thought you said those disks could shut down the device," said Calia. "Not activate it!"

"Warning, Reorigination device activated. Detonation in one minute."

"One minute?" Brann asked, standing up, looking desperately around him. Then, he started hitting himself on the forehead. "Come on, Brann! Think! Think!" Then, he looked over at the control panel. "I'm goin' in manually. There's gotta be a way!"

With one good kick, the console opened up to reveal a set of wires.

"Alright," he said. "Fuses exposed. Now which one to cut..."

"Detonation in thirty seconds."

"Brann, hurry!" said Calia.

"I'm thinkin', lass!" said Brann. "Oh...I can't decide!"

"Wonderful!" Calia sighed.

"Now, don't fret," said Brann. "How about in consideration of all ye've done, we'll go with...blue! For the Alliance!"

"Oh, that better be the right one," said Calia.

"Here goes nothin'," said Brann as he pulled out a set of pliers and began to cut away at the blue wire.

Outside the pyramid opened up, revealing the device itself. Then, Deathwing took to the sky, rising higher and higher with every beat of his wings. His body was ignited in flames and smoke, black soot billowing from his wings. His fiery eyes narrowed as he looked upon the device. Then, with one fell dive, he raced towards it, body aflame. The ground once more began to tremble. Inside the control room, both Calia and Brann felt it. The electronic voice sounded once more.

"Reorigination device detonation aborted.

"Wahoo!" Brann called. "Azeroth lives to see another day!"

"We did it!" Calia shouted. She felt the ground once more tremble. "Neltharion!"

"Outside, lass," said Brann. "He might have gotten into some trouble."

"Or causing it," said Calia.

As they made their way down to the lower levels, Calia saw the extent of the damage Neltharion had caused. The watchers that once guarded the device and would use their powers to help cultivate the newly cleansed world, were now nothing more than burnt, formless mounds of stone. They finally came to the lowest level and found the massive hole at the side wall. Calia and Brann swiftly rushed outside to find the massive Black Dragon diving in flames towards the secondary pyramid where the origination detonation device was located.

"Nel, what are you doing?" Calia shouted at him.

"Don't, lad!" shouted Brann. "We've shut it down!"

The Black Dragon made no motion in slowing down. Brann took hold of Calia and the two ran behind a large rock, ducking and bracing themselves against its surface. The Black Aspect's fiery form impacted upon the pyramid. Clouds of smoke and fire erupted out from the blast as volcanic, black, molten rock rose from the sand. Calia and Brann looked out from behind the rock, noticing the pyramid now encased in molten rock. Slowly pealing away from the rock was the fuming, fiery form of Neltharion, his eyes red, clouds of black smoke continuing to billow up towards the sky. He stepped forwards, his heated claws melting the sand into glass.

"Nel?" Calia asked.

The Black Aspect smirked sinisterly at her. She knew that smirk and her body began to tremble with fear and with anger. She drew her rifle. "Deathwing..."

"What?" Brann asked. "I thought his name was Neltharion."

"I can't explain it right now," she said. "Deathwing!"

Calia ran out for the Black Dragon, her rifle armed. Then, she felt a buzzing in her head as her legs began to falter. She tripped and fell, landing hard upon the sand. She felt her mind being picked at, pried at, clawed by black claws. Calia rolled onto the sand, screaming in pain as the claws dug deeper.

_My dear little wife, how I missed playing with you._

That horrible voice itched its way through her brain. Brann rushed out, running to her aid. Then, his body froze solid.

_No one's coming to save you now, my dear._

"Let Neltharion go!" Calia cried, holding her head from the agony of the claws. "Let him go, now!"

_The Earth-Warder is my plaything again. And I intend to get as much enjoyment out of him as I possibly can._

"You sick bastard!" Calia said.

_What do you care? You don't even love him. Why would you want to make sure he's safe?_

"What if I said that I did?" she asked. "Would you let him go?"

_Don't be foolish._

Deathwing's grip tightened as Calia's own vision suddenly became distorted as well. Her breath became shallow and her ears rang. She fell back into her own mind, a dark place that she thought was a safe haven. The two smoldering eyes told her otherwise. The claws wrapped around her body, tearing her riding leathers. Deathwing only chuckled deeply.

_This is familiar..._

Calia cried out feeling the claws probe her, scraping against the painful scars.

"Neltharion!" she called. "If you can hear me, I need you! Help me! He's too strong! Don't let him do this to me, to you...to us. He's done this to both of us. Don't let him do it again."

_The little whelp won't save you. He's too scared to. Being here, meeting his judge and jury have awakened his fears again. He's a failure._

Calia writhed in Deathwing's claws. She took a swipe at him, but found she grabbed nothing more than smoke.

"He's not a failure!" she called. "He's not you! You're the failure. You're nothing! You're just a formless thought that lacked a body. So you had to steal his!"

_I__ am__ Neltharion, _said Deathwing. _His__ fears, __his__ hatred,__ his__ sorrow, __all__ of__ his__ negative __emotions __realized.__ He__ is __nothing __without __me._

"And you're nothing with out him if that's how it is," said Calia. "And...I'm alone without him as well. He's alone without me. No one's willing to give him the love he needed, the caring that he needed to keep a monster like you out of his head. They never saw the signs because you didn't want them to, and he knew it would have shamed himself in front of them to know that the Earth-Warder showed some weakness. So you scared him, put it into his mind that everyone was out to get him, that you was his only friend. Some friend you are, some friends those tentacle monsters are too. All any of you have given him was misery. And so, he lived a miserable life, never living up to the standards that he felt the Titans set." She shifted in Deathwing's grip. "But I know the truth. I heard what his Titan told him. I heard those words." Calia looked around for Neltharion in the dark. "The earth, where you come from if you are to go. Your roots. My roots. That's the strength. The wisdom inside one's self, the heart. You're not a failure, Neltharion. I'm not a failure either. We're not failures even if we felt we were. I felt I failed my own family because I was too helpless to even do anything about what my brother did, and then just shoved away when my father was assassinated while my brother became the damned Lich King. Sent to hide, hide in the shadows. Weak, pitiful, nothing Calia Menethil. But Calia Hastings was somebody, a fighter. But that's just a name I hid behind. Because I didn't want to hurt anymore. Like you, Nel. Hiding inside your mind, behind the liquor, hiding from that monster that is Deathwing." Her eyes watered. "You can't hide anymore. Take him down!"

Calia kicked at the darkness, hoping to strike at Deathwing. From a distance, she heard the sounds of grunting as if something was struggling to break free. She heard chains snap as Neltharion rushed out from the shadows.

"Leave Calia alone!" he bellowed, striking the shapeless entity known as Deathwing. The nightmare of thought let go of Calia's body and Neltharion braced himself between her and it. He then took Calia into his arms and she felt herself slowly begin to return to her body. Neltharion tore the link between him and Deathwing, clawing at his raging, heated body. The earth trembled and gaseous fissures opened up in the sand, spewing forth noxious, hot gas. Calia suddenly awoke, freed from her dark prison only to see the Black Dragon flailing about, his body in spasms. Neltharion roared, rearing back and taking hold of the edge of his chin brace. Calia gasped and watch the Black Dragon tear the brace from his lower jaw, sending his fiery blood splashing upon the sand. It fell to the ground with a hard and heavy, metallic thud. He began to tear at the armor plating upon his neck and the sides of his arms, tossing them to the ground along with his metallic jaw brace. He was bleeding profusely, his body suddenly becoming fatigued. Then, Neltharion stopped as he felt his head become clear once more. He looked sadly down where Calia was and collapsed upon the sand, his blood oozing out from the holes and rips along his body. His breath was shallow and he swallowed hard. Magma dripped from his limp jaws.

"Neltharion!" Calia called.

Brann slowly rose, finally fried from what it was that froze him. He shook his head and blinked his eyes.

"That was the weirdest thing I've ever been through," he said. He looked up to see Calia running towards the deathly still dragon. "Lassy! No!"

He rushed out and took hold of her waist. Though she was taller than him, his strength was greater than hers. He held her back, pulling her down upon the sand as Calia's face filled with salty tears. She tugged at him, trying to inch her way towards Neltharion's still body.

"No, lass," said Brann. "You don't want to burn yourself."

"Damn it," she said. "I'm already burned by Deathwing! I'm already burned! It's Neltharion. Nel..."

The dragon made no move in reply, his body was still. She could barely see his chest move or hear his breath. She gritted her teeth and shrank down, curling up and pouting in a mess of tears. Her eyes stung. Brann looked up at the Black Dragon and shook his head.

For all he knew, the Earth-Warder was dying.

Brann looked back at the massive chin brace torn loose from the jaw as the sun glinted off of its polished surface.


	17. XVII

**XVII**

A chill inched its way up her spine as she felt the ground tremble under her feet. Her golden eyes glowed brightly as she felt the ice beneath her feet begin to crack. She heard a roar of pain and agony echo over the horizon. Alexstrasza lifted her head up to the sky to see the northern lights twitch violently, becoming brighter, their shimmering sound became loud. Though to some people visiting the north, this would be beautiful, but the Life Queen knew that this spelled trouble. Bands of green, red, gold, pink, and blue cut their way in the midnight blue sky. Alexstrasza look below her claws to watch the ice continue to crack. Wyrmrest Temple trembled violently, cracks arcing their way upwards. The roar sounded again and she held her breath. Alexstrasza looked up, hearing the sound of another roar above. Afrasastrasz, one of her trusted generals and leader of the defenses of Wyrmrest Temple, landed with several of his dragons and drakes along side of him. He dipped his head respectfully to his queen.

"The new mortar the mortals helped us apply on the temple is starting to weaken from this quake," he said. "We are doing what we can to strengthen it."

"What is the source of the quake?" asked Alexstrasza. "What is that painful roar I hear?"

"The only one who could cause a quake of this magnitude to even threaten the temple would be the Earth-Warder," said Afrasastrasz.

"Neltharion?" asked Alexstrasza. "Why?"

"Perhaps Deathwing is till very much apart of him," said one of Afrasastrasz's warriors.

Alexstrasza's brow furrowed in worry and she pawed the snow with her ruby claw.

"No, not after all that I worked towards in restoring him," she said. "No..."

Then, her head suddenly pounded with pain. She let loose a bellow and lowered to the snow, holding her head tightly.

_Alexstrasza! HE'S DYING!_

"Ysera?" Alexstrasza asked, growling as she rose her head painfully up.

_Help him! In Uldum! He's in Uldum! Help him! Dying! DYING!_

"Neltharion?" Alexstrasza turned to the south. The quake continued, shaking the frozen earth beneath her. She felt it all around her, the planet...

The planet was in agony.

"I must go to Kalimdor," she said. "To Uldum."

"My queen?" asked Afrasastrasz. "Why?"

"My brother needs me," she replied. "Stay here. My flight must stay here. Only I will go."

"But if Deathwing..."

Alexstrasza shook her head: "I do not fear Deathwing. I fear for my brother Neltharion."

With that, she spread her great wings and took off into the frozen air, swiftly making her way south.

0

The tremors continued on, vibrating through the Nexus. Kalecgos looked around him as the rocky pillars suspended by magical energies began to topple over. He watched as the Blue Dragonflight began to scatter from the tiers as hot gasses exploded out from molten cracks around the crater. They began to melt the ice around them.

"What in Azeroth is going on?" he cried. "Who's doing this?"

Then, he felt his mind being plucked at by an entity, and energy fluctuating through the Nexus itself. Kalecgos turned to see a huge draconic shape of faded blue and glowing blue markings hovering above him.

_What do you think you are doing standing there while my brother is in agony?_

Kalecgos shook his head in disbelief. He could not believe what he was seeing before him.

"Malygos?" he asked.

_Do not make the same mistake I have! Do not abandon him when he needs you the most. That is how Deathwing was created in the first place! If you truly are my successor, you will do what I did not, you will be there for him..._

"Where is Neltharion?" asked Kalecgos.

_Go__ to t__he __south,_ replied Malygos. _He __is__in __Uldum. __Go !__NOW!_

The apparition faded away as the tremors became more violent. Kalecgos shook his head once more.

"Uldum..." he said. "Alright. Sure...I just talked to Malygos...and he wants me to go to Uldum. I must be just as crazy as Neltharion is!"

The young Blue Aspect launched into the air as the tier he was sitting upon slammed into a stone pillar. Kalecgos looked back behind his shoulder in horror just as the Nexus continued to tremble.

"I just hope I can stop whatever it is that is troubling the Earth-Warder before I end up homeless..." he said.

0

"Neltharion!" Calia shouted, dragging herself closer to him despite the tight grip Brann had on her. She stretched her hand out to him. The Black Dragon's body still did not respond. His fiery, molten blood continued to pour out of his wounds. Smoke rose up from his body, choking and black. The smoldering pyramid encased in molten obsidian glass and volcanic rock still burned from Deathwing's attempts at destroying the device. Deathwing was biding his time, using both Calia and Neltharion again as he did so those many years ago, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. And just like then, he got what he wanted, but this time at the cost of Neltharion himself.

"Let me go!" Calia called, clawing at Brann's large arms.

"Lass, there's nothin' you can do about it now," said Brann. "No helpin' him. The lad's gone." He looked upon the still body of Neltharion. "At least he doesn't have to hear the voices of those damned Old Gods anymore. He's not hurtin' anymore, lass."

"You don't understand," she began. "This isn't supposed to be his end...not as Deathwing. Something's wrong! They're messing with it again! If he was supposed to die as Deathwing, he's supposed to be impaled upon Wyrmrest Temple."

Brann let go of her and Calia fell from the force of her pull and his pull. She scrambled back upon her feet and started running to him.

"Deathwing!" she cried. "How are you to make the Hour of Twilight happen with Neltharion dying in a desert? Have you become so fed up with him, you much rather he kill himself and end his pitiful miserable life? What about me, you ugly black monstrosity? Why not kill me as well? You've tormented the both of us! Why leave me to watch him die?" Her fists curled tightly. Her lips trembled. Her nails cut into the palms of her hands and red blood began to drip out. "Why leave me to watch him die? So, I realize how much I do..." She broke off, her voice choking in a sob. "I do...I...damn you to hell, Neltharion! I blame this upon you! Why did you have to...I can't even say it! It's not right! We can't...be together." She lowered her head. "We can't. It's too painful for me to be with you."

She fell to the ground upon her knees.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I'm sorry I can't be what you want me to be. But you can't be what I want either. I just want a normal life...I just want my life...my life without you."

"Don't you ever say that to him!" bellowed a broad, deep, but very feminine voice. Calia turned around to find up in the air the most beautiful green dragon she had ever seen. "Don't you _ever_ break his heart! He wouldn't break yours. So, don't break his!"

She knew she was in the presence of Ysera, the Dreamer, the Green Dragon Aspect of Nature and Dreams. Much like her Night Elf form, she wore similar golden bands and jewelry. Though she was not as big as Neltharion, she was still an enormous sight to behold and she hovered with an otherworldly grace. The wind raced around Calia from the beating of Ysera's wings.

"Ysera," said Brann, wiping his mouth and taking a sip of his wine skin. "The Dreamer. Never thought I'd get the chance to meet her."

Ysera's face was twisted in anger, all of it aimed at Calia. She then landed with a light thump. Despite her size, she barely made the ground tremble with her weight.

"I think his heart is already broken, Ysera," Calia said, rising up as the Green Aspect transformed, shrinking down into her Night Elf disguise.

The tall Night Elf walked over to the human and crossed her arms. Calia wiped her eyes.

"He's dying, but he's not dead yet," said Ysera. She turned away from Calia. "The Dragonqueen is coming. She will make things right."

"Ysera," said Calia. "I'm sorry. I...I can't be with him. I can't be his wife. We told you that many times...no matter how much you wanted it..."

"It wasn't I who wanted it, it was Neltharion," said Ysera. "I was happy for him. After 10 thousand years of seeing my brother be tormented, performing atrocities as Deathwing, the only thing I could ever wish for him was happiness and someone who did love him, who would care for him and keep Deathwing away." She turned back to Calia. "You could keep that monster away. Alexstrasza can only heal his body, but you could heal his soul."

"Why me?" asked Calia. "What makes me different? What makes me so important to him that I could do that?"

"Because he saw you when he could not see us," said Ysera.

"Why me?" asked Calia. "Why could he only see me? And don't say it's destiny. To hell with destiny!"

"I sent him to find you because I saw the bond you two had," said Ysera. "Every night, when you dreamed, you dreamt of Neltharion. He dreamt of you many nights, hoping to find that face that allowed him to see for the first time in 10 thousand years." She frowned, her nose wrinkling. "And you want to break his heart! You want a perfect life? You want those scars to go away? What do you think he wants? He's got the same scars."

"Why me?" asked Calia. "Why?"

"Sometimes, there's a spark between two people...searching for the right one," said Ysera. "Where their dreams will meet. Though Deathwing had the most horrible of nightmares, when Neltharion saw you for the first time, I could feel him, his mind, and his dreams. That was when I realized that Deathwing was a bully scaring my poor brother...that he was not Neltharion at all. But there was nothing I could do about it, I could only watch. And Neltharion still searched for you, trying to keep your face in his mind so that he could have something to cling to. Then, when we faced Deathwing in Northrend, we broke Neltharion free of him. Deathwing doesn't have that same hold on him as he did before." Ysera's face soften when she looked upon Neltharion. "He tries to get control, but Neltharion has found a way to fight him. It's because of you. You are the strength he needs. And now you want to go and break his heart!"

"You're saying if I don't...Deathwing will take full control again?" asked Calia.

"I don't know what will happen," said Ysera. "But nothing pleasant. Who does he have to hold onto in this world? His mates are dead, most of his children are either dead or wanting him dead. My sister just pities him. She doesn't show compassion like she used to and Neltharion is a shattered being of his former self. He needs you more than you know."

"But do...I need him?" asked Calia.

"You said it yourself you do," said Ysera. "You're lonely. He's been the first real companion you've had in years. Someone who wants to be with you and not turn away when he sees the scars you bare. Someone who wants to commit to you. Isn't that what you wanted too? Isn't that what you told your brother what you wanted when you heard you were to be wedded to Deathwing those years ago? You loved Prestor, but you didn't know if he would give you the same commitment. Neltharion is Prestor, the Prestor you fell in love with. And he is willing to give you the commitment you said you wanted him to give you."

Calia shook her head and turned away from the Green Aspect. She looked down to her bloodied palms.

"You better make the decision now," said Ysera. "Alexstrasza is coming. She's going to take Neltharion away back to Northrend. And after what happened, she's not going to let him go. If she has to lock him up in Wyrmrest Temple, she will find a way to keep him protected. She was heartbroken when she ordered Malygos' death, she doesn't want to loose another Aspect."

Ysera felt the wind pick up a green lock of her hair and she looked towards the early noon sky. Appearing in the blue sky was an enormous red dragon with golden bands upon her horns and an opal chain on her chin.

"There she is, Calia," said Ysera. "Alexstrasza."

"The Life-Binder," whispered Brann, looking up at the Red Aspect landing upon the sand. Along with her was the young Blue Aspect Kalecgos, who appeared above her. Ysera backed away and reverted into her dragon form.

Alexstrasza shot an enraged glance at her younger sister.

"Alex," began Ysera. "I only did..."

"Enough," she said. Alexstrasza took in a deep breath and blew out the smoke coming from Neltharion's body. She leaned down and picked his limp body up. "I'm taking him home where he belongs."

She then turned to Calia and cast a look of disdain upon her. She then turned back to Ysera, sharing that disdain for her little sister as well.

"He's lucky to be alive," said Alexstrasza. She turned to Calia. "No thanks to you, mortal. I hope you had a nice adventure with my brother. The adventure ends here."

She spread her wings over Neltharion's body as Kalecgos touched the two of them. All three Aspects vanished leaving Ysera, Brann, and Calia alone in the desert. Ysera wagged her head in dismay and sighed.

"Well, this was an interesting adventure..." said Brann, dusting himself off. "And I think I've learned something very interesting to add to my information on the Dragon Aspects, especially about the Earth-Warder. So very little information we have on him specifically. Not every day that one goes adventuring with an Aspect."

He walked over to Calia and held out his hand to her: "No hard feelings for what happened back there, Princess."

"I'm not..." Calia began and then sighed, shaking her head. "No, Prince, no hard feelings."

She took his hand and shook it.

"If you're ever in Ironforge, be sure to stop by the Explorer's Guild and visit," said Brann. "I'm sure we'll enjoy a dab of wine and some fine stories to share about what we've done here."

"Sure," said Calia.

Brann turned to Ysera: "Don't worry, Dreamer. I'm sure they'll both come around. Young love, and all."

Ysera smiled slightly, but then the smile faded again. Her head hung low. She had been scolded by her sister, she felt she failed her brother, and she was furious with Calia. Brann took a swig of his wine skin.

"Well, I better head off to Ramkahen," he said. "Some interesting stories those Tol'vir have about the Titans. Good day to you both."

Then, he started off, whistling cheerfully as he walked towards the Ramkahen City. Calia walked over to the mighty Green Dragon.

"Ysera," she began. "I'm..."

"I should take you back to Theramore," said Ysera, leaning down to the sand. "So you can report back to Lady Proudmoore and King Varian Wynn of what all went on here." Her sparkling, rainbow-hued eyes turned to Calia. "You can tell me afterwards."

Calia nodded and climbed upon the emerald green back of Ysera, the Dreamer. She spread her glowing, etherial, green wings and took off for the sky, flying towards Theramore. The ride was silent. Neither said anything to each other. Calia shivered at the cold shoulder Ysera gave her and her head lowered.

"I'm sorry, Neltharion," she whispered to herself. Whether or not Ysera heard her, she made no sign and glided gracefully up over the walls of Uldum.

0

"You rode into Uldum with a Black Dragon, but came back riding a Green Dragon," said King Varian Wynn.

Calia sighed as her head hung low. Leaning up against the stone wall of Proudmore Castle was Ysera in her Night Elf form, her arms crossed. Calia's wounded palms were bound in bandages and she rubbed them with hesitation.

"Neltharion was severely wounded, Your Majesty," said Calia. "Alexstrasza came in and took him back to Northrend."

"I see," said Varian. "But the mission was still successful?"

"The device was destroyed," said Calia. "Yes. Schnottz was also killed off. We don't have to worry about him anymore. His allies are either dead or scattered."

"Good," said Varian.

"Did you discover anything else about Uldum, Calia?" asked Jaina.

"It is an enormous archeological site," said Calia, giving her arm a scratch. "There's a lot that connects to the Titans and what all they did to make Azeroth what is now there. One would just have to go in and look for it."

"I'll certainly make a note of that," said Varian. "My archeologists may be going back there."

"Dr. Jones managed to get the Coffer and he said he's sending it to Stormwind," said Calia, looking up at Varian.

"So, I've heard," said Varian. "Good. I'm sure we'll be able to get some valuable information from it. But Neltharion is the true key, if what he said about the fact that only he knew what was there in Uldum. The archeologists I assign would love to pick at his brain for information as well."

"Good luck getting to him," said Calia. "Alexstrasza's turned into an overprotective mother after what happened in Uldum. She may never let him go."

Ysera sighed and shook her head.

"Well, you can always try," said Varian. "But I don't need you to do it right away. There are many other things I am more concerned about. From my scouts, I've received some information that the Horde is becoming restless. I do not know what will happen, but it seems half the Horde might be biting the other half because of Garrosh's actions as of late. Civil war might irrupt in the Horde."

Ysera's head perked up and she eyed Varian. However, she remained silent. This was not her place to discuss such matters. She returned back to staring at the floor.

"There are other issues about the Horde as well," said Varian. "Besides civil war. I want you to keep up the post here in Theramore, Agent Hastings.

Calia got up off the chair and stood at attention: "Yes, Your Majesty.

"That is all," said Varian. "Jaina, return me back to my city."

"Will do," said Jaina. She waved her hands and a portal appeared right behind Varian. The King of Stormwind turned around and slowly stepped through the glowing portal. As soon as the portal closed behind him, Jaina walked up to Calia.

"I don't know what happened in Uldum," she began. "But you seem troubled by it."

"Deathwing nearly killed Nel," said Calia, turning away.

"Deathwing?" asked Jaina.

"I know it's hard to believe, but that's what happened," said Calia. "I...don't know what happened afterwards. I'm sure Alexstrasza is taking good care of him."

Ysera lowered her head even further. Though she knew her sister means well for Neltharion, however, she could sense that already she is attempting to bind him to Wyrmrest in order to make sure he does not attempt to strike out on his own again. Alexstrasza did not want to see her brother fall into another bout of madness for fear of Deathwing taking control. Ysera sensed that her sister was going to smother him with motherly love in dear hope to keep Deathwing at bay once more. However, Ysera knew that was not what Neltharion needed. He needed Calia to keep him on the straight path, remind him of his duties, of his strength, and of his noble and gentle heart. Alexstrasza would not remind him of that, only of how weakened he had gotten.

"Well, if there's nothing else," began Calia.

"No," said Jaina. "That's all for now. I'll let you know if I need you. But I'm sure that Neltharion would like to know that he's done his duty and fulfilled his bargain. You should go and tell him that."

Calia looked over at Ysera who then looked back at her.

"Sure," she said. "I will."

"Good," said Jaina. "And Great Ysera, thank you for bringing Calia safely back to us."

"It was not a problem," said Ysera. She leaned off the wall and started walking out of the castle. Calia walked after her.

"Ysera!" Calia called as soon as they made their way out into city of Theramore. Ysera paused.

"Yes, Princess?" asked Ysera.

"Um, I...I...do love him," she said. Ysera's eyes brightened. She took a step towards Calia, spreading her arms for a hug. Calia raised her hands. "Now, wait, before you hug me...I need to say something. He's a Dragon Aspect, like you. He's lived for thousands of years, me...only 30. How could I be his wife with him having such a long life? I'll be dead before he blinks his eyes. And I'm not a dragon. He needs to create a flight that isn't corrupted. I can't give him that."

Ysera looked up to the sky and then back to Calia giggling.

"What?" asked Calia.

"You'll see," said Ysera. She reverted back to her dragon form and leaned down for Calia to mount up on her neck.

"Now, wait..." began Calia. "You're not gonna have me turned into a dragon...are you?"

"No!" Ysera laughed. "Of course not. That would be silly. But it is a surprise, so, you'll have to hurry. First, you must save Neltharion from Alexstrasza. She's got him trapped!" She motioned with her head. "Come on!"

Calia took in a deep breath and then mounted up upon Ysera's back. The Green Dragon took off for the sky, heading towards the north. Calia buttoned her riding jacket, knowing it was going to get cold very soon. Because Theramore was so warm, she did not have any winter clothes, at least no winter clothes that would keep her warm in a frozen tundra.

Calia leaned back in her seat. She thought of Neltharion, thought of the pain he inflicted upon himself in order to chase away Deathwing again. She then thought about the look Alexstrasza gave her. It was like the Life Queen did not want her any where near her brother. That did not matter, she was going to see Neltharion, to at least see if he was alright.

0

Neltharion moaned. His head pounded and swam. He felt warm all over, but that warmth did little for the pain he was feeling. He slowly opened his eyes. His vision was blurred horribly and foggy. For a moment, he thought he was trapped again, but then his vision slowly began to clear. He was lying in a hot spring. Steam rose up from the spring, clouding some of his vision. Then, he slowly rose up and took a stretch. He painfully spread his wings and shook his throat frill. As soon as he rose up, he felt a shock of cold upon his scales. He gazed about the hot spring, noticing snowy patches about lush green grass. Neltharion turned around to find himself at the base of an active volcano, capped with snow, but smoking nonetheless. Evergreen tries grew all about the hot spring. Then, his eyes widened when he found what else was there with him. All about him were the bones and rotting corpses of dragons, black dragons.

They were the dead remains of his flight.

Neltharion's jaw began to work as he realized where he was. He was in the Obsidian Shrine. He spied the still, tattered body of his deceased Prince Consort Sintharia and the still bodies of two of his children, Onyxia and Nefarian. Then, he turned to see a new body lying near Sintharia, Myzerian, the son he had recently slain. Neltharion's eyes started to sting with tears as he looked about him. He backed out of the water and made for land. He reached up to scratch his chin, noticing that it was itching a little. He paused, and began to feel around his jaw, noticing that the adamantine brace was now missing. He looked all about his body, seeing all of his plates missing as well, all but the ones that still lined his spine. The blade on his tail was also still there. Neltharion knelt down to look upon his reflection.

That face, that face was his...the face he once had a long time ago. He missed that face.

Then he saw that around his jaw line, he began to grow a short beard connecting to his braided mutton chops. The feathers that Thrall had given him were still there as well. He took in a deep breath and sighed. Then, he turned to Sintharia's still form.

"Look, my love," he whispered. "It's your Neltharion again. The way he used to look, the face you fell in love with so long ago. Not that horrible Deathwing who broke your heart, mutilated and defiled your body...no...he's not here...only me...only your Neltharion."

He slowly moved over to her body and leaned down to brush his cheek against hers.

"Your Neltharion never hurt you," he said. "Only Deathwing did that. Only Deathwing did this...oh...Sintharia...forgive me again. I can't get rid of him, no matter how hard I try. I had to kill one of our sons as well." He lifted his head up and went to Myzerian and nuzzled him as well. "Forgive me, Myzerian. Forgive me for hurting you and your mother. It won't happen again, I won't hurt another one of my flight ever again. I swear..."

Then, he rose and made his way towards the gates of his shrine.

"How did I get here?" he asked himself. "Who brought me here? And where's Calia?"

He turned back to his shrine once more, seeing just how lively it had become. It still reflected the primal power of the earth, with geological activity of the hot spring bubbling and geysers spouting. It was a beautiful and dramatic sight. He noticed along the hot spring, lining around the rocky edges were colorful bands of blue, green, orange, and red. They were being created by microscopic creatures who enjoyed the heat of the earth's warmth and thrived from its primal power. The volcano rumbled and smoked with life and a little of its glowing cracks could be seen along its face, but it only fed the life that grew from it. The power of the heart of the world fed life that graced his flight's graveyard, giving them a lovely place to rest. Exposed volcanic rock glistened beautifully in the low sun. This was Azeroth's true beauty on display before the Earth-Warder and it moved him to tears again.

"I did this..." he whispered. "I made this...my tears, my sorrow, my...love for my flight...I did this..." He raised his claw to his eyes. "Maybe my gifts have not forgotten me after all."

He closed his eyes and concentrated. There was a hum all around him, a joyous song ringing in his ears. It sang with the slow beat of his heart.

His song.

Azeroth's song.

It was not distorted. It sang true once more. Neltharion opened his eyes again.

"It sings to me again," he said. "It sings to me."

He took in a deep breath and once more headed for the gate. As he approached the gate, he noticed several red drakes, red dragons, and some red dragonspawn standing watchful vigil outside. Then, as Neltharion was about to exist, he felt something holding him back. He pressed upon it with his claws. It was a force, keeping him there, forbidding him to leave.

"Hey..." he began. "Hey! Hey! Let me out! What's the meaning of this?"

The members of the Red Dragonflight turned slightly to his shouting, and then returned to their guarding.

"Hey!" Neltharion bellowed. "Look at me when I'm talking to you! Let me out! Why are you holding me here?"

He slammed his curled fisted claw against the invisible field that prevented him from leaving his shrine. Then he growled and stepped back.

"No matter, I am the Earth-Warder," he said. "The ground is my realm, my power. This spell cannot hold me."

With that, he reached to the snow and his claw slowly began to phase through it into the rock below. He felt himself becoming a part of the rock, moving through it as if it were nothing more than air. Then, he felt something preventing him from lowering further. The shield, whatever it was, extended downward. Neltharion withdrew his claw and brought out a stone. He tossed the stone into the air. He heard it impact something invisible, but very solid in the sky. The field that surrounded his shrine was a sphere. It was all around him.

"What is the meaning of this?" he asked. "Why are you holding me here? Where's Alexstrasza? I demand to see her, now!"

The reds continued to ignore him.

"I am an Aspect!" he bellowed. "Do as I say!"

A shadow cast upon his enormous form. Neltharion gazed skyward as he saw Alexstrasza land just outside the gate to his shrine. Her face held a slight disappointed and yet saddened look upon it. She then passed beyond the shield that bound him to his shrine as if it was not there.

"Alex?" Neltharion asked. "What...what are you doing? Why is it that you can go through that shield and I cannot?"

"I had asked Kalecgos to place this barrier around the Obsidian Shrine," she said. "To hold you here."

"Why?" Neltharion asked.

"To protect you," said Alexstrasza. "To keep you safe. You will not leave here unless I wish it. I don't want you getting hurt again. I want you here where I can watch over you. It's for your own good, Neltharion."

"You would have me a prisoner in my own graveyard?" Neltharion asked, his green eyes widening. "What sort of sick and twisted...why? I do not need your protection, sister. I am your older brother!"

"And I am queen here," she said. "As you can see, I have healed you. You were so near death when I found you. That horrible mortal has put you through so much. It won't happen again."

"That horrible mortal?" asked Neltharion. "You are speaking about my wife, my consort since my last is now dead because of my failings! She's the only one on this planet that actually believes in me! It's obvious that you don't. I won't be held here as a prisoner. I demand..."

"Nothing," said Alexstrasza. She then swiped her claw across his face. "How dare you leave me! How dare you run away like that! In your condition! You should have known better. You are the wisest of us, and you pulled this...stupid stunt."

Neltharion leaned back, holding his cheek where her claw had scratched his hard, onyx scales. They did not make even a mark, but he could feel them slice across his cheek.

"I go where I am needed," said Neltharion. "And I was needed in Uldum. If you haven't noticed, there was a goblin who planned to use one of my titan's machines on the world. All of this...all we care about would have been destroyed! I stopped him. My titan would have done the same thing!"

"You released that horrible other personality," said Alexstrasza. "Deathwing. And then you nearly killed yourself trying to put him back! It won't happen again. Until you are completely well, you will be monitored day and night. You will never leave my sight again."

She shook her head. Neltharion heard the sound of her jewelry jingling.

"I cannot afford to loose you again," she said. "I cannot afford to loose another Aspect. I lost Malygos, I don't want to loose you too. When I realized that you could be saved...when Ysera said you could be saved, I saw that hope that I had lost so many years ago when you fell from grace. I don't want to loose you again. I have my older brother back, and I won't loose him again! I swore that oath when you returned to us. Now, I aim to keep it."

"At the cost of my freedom?" Neltharion asked, looking back at her, his green eyes growing dark and a scowl growing across his snout.

"It is only temporary, dear Neltharion," said Alexstrasza. "When you..."

"When I know my place, eh?" Neltharion asked, snorting a cloud of black smoke and ash from his nostrils. The volcano echoed his expression. "You want to know something Alexstrasza? You want to know a little secret?" He began to circle her. "The Old Gods may have fed those negative emotions inside of me, tormenting me so that my shattered mind would create Deathwing, but it is you who helped it along. Words like that, that's what made him a permanent resident in my head. I was your best supporter. Because we both knew that nature and life could not exist without a world for it to flourish, to grow. You, me, and Ysera, the three that kept it all in balance while Malygos and Nozdormu watched over with the powers of time and arcane magic. All three of us agreed we would be equals, but you treated me as if I was nothing more than one of your servants! It is no wonder why the Old Gods kept whispering such things as 'Alexstrasza seeks dominion over you'."

"They said things you wanted to hear."

"I didn't want to hear them!" Neltharion shouted. "I wanted to believe you weren't the bitch I see you are now! You've shown your true colors, Life-Binder. I hope you're happy. Not only have you made Deathwing from the shattered mind of your beloved brother, but now, you've made Neltharion despise you." He turned away from her. "Deathwing would strike you right out. He would ravaged your body and then slain you for holding him here." He snorted. "Aren't you lucky I'm not him?"

Alexstrasza lowered her head.

"I am only doing this for your own good, Neltharion," she said. "To protect you..."

"To protect the world from me," said Neltharion. "But you don't trust me. I suppose I deserve it, but I thought you would have seen what all I've done in Uldum to make you think differently. I had the opportunity of using that device in order to get rid of the Old Gods, to rid all of Azeroth of their poison! But I destroyed it instead. Not because Deathwing wanted to, but because I knew that if I activated it, I would be destroying the wonderful life that existed already upon it. I was told that we are failures, we don't deserve the life the Titans have given us, but I wanted to prove that wrong. We do deserve it. We all deserve it and I, Neltharion, swore to protect it. I love this world and I am willing to do anything for it, despite it's imperfections, despite the infection of the Old Gods. This world is beautiful." He turned to Alexstrasza. "I can hear its song again, singing as loudly and as brightly as it did before my madness overtook me 10 thousand years ago. And that terrible mortal was the one who began to help me hear its song again, reminding me of my strength, that I can fight Deathwing, that I'm stronger than him. She isn't as bad as you think."

"I'm sorry," said Alexstrasza. "But it's for the best."

Neltharion growled at her and turned away again.

"I noticed you've healed me completely save for the back plates," he said.

"I came here to finish up the process," said Alexstrasza. "And you'll be fully restored as the Neltharion I remember."

"I'm still rather bloated though," said Neltharion. He let loose a snort. "You know what, dear little sister? Don't bother taking the adamantine armor off my back or the blade off my tail. I much rather keep them there."

"Why?"

"Because I'm not the Neltharion you knew 10 thousand years ago!" he growled. "I'm not him anymore. Nor do I wish to be him. I am different. 10 thousand years of being trapped inside my body, tormented by taunting voices from invisible beings with tentacles, trapped inside Azeroth by the Titans...I've become something different. No one helped me during those years, no one tried to see me trapped inside my mind. I was left to fend for myself, to endure the pain, the agony, and his rage...his madness. After all those years, I have become something different. Leave those plates on my back. They will be a symbol of how much I have changed since those 10 thousand years."

He lowered his head.

"I am not the Neltharion you knew. Nor will I ever be. But you will always be the conceded bitch I remember."

Neltharion slowly lumbered towards the bodies of those he loved lying in the shrine.

"Now, leave me," he said. "Leave me to lie in sorrow with my dead flight."

Alexstrasza watched as Neltharion settled down beside Sintharia and laid his head upon her back. Tears flowed from his eyes and he began to sob, holding her limp body close to him.

"Just leave me along with my flight," he whispered.

Alexstrasza lowered her head and turned around to pass through the shield.

"There will be a meeting of the Aspects," she said. "Soon. When everyone is gathered, I will send for you."

Neltharion only replied with a snort and continued to whimper, tears flowing from his eyes. Alexstrasza spread her wings and took off, heading back to Wyrmrest Temple and leaving her brother to mourn over the dead of his flight. As she passed over, she did not heed a shadowy figure slowly approaching the gate to the shrine. The figure had a green shimmer, and a draconic form almost as large as Alexstrasza, but certainly not as large as Neltharion's. Upon the shadowy green, draconic figure was another, smaller, humanoid, sharing the same shroud. The dragon waved a claw and the guarding reds toppled over, falling to swift slumber. A childlike giggle sounded when they fell. The dragon's form became solid. It was Ysera, the Dreamer, and upon her back was Calia Hastings. Calia held onto herself, shivering in the cold.

"Nice work, Ysera," said Calia. "I didn't know you could put people to sleep."

"Sleep is my specialty," said Ysera with childlike glee. "They are having lovely dreams. It'll help them keep asleep while we rescue big brother."

She peeked beyond the stone that surrounded the Obsidian Dragon Shrine and Calia climbed upon her head, settling between her straight, bony-white horns. Calia looked upon the weeping form of the Black Aspect as he laid across his fallen mate, shedding his tears. She felt her own heart fall, not for the fact that she realized that he had another he loved, but because he had lost her. It was silly of her not think that Neltharion did not have other mates, after all, she knew that Aspects like Ysera and Alexstrasza had many to call their own as well. Though they did have favorites, primes that ruled over the others. And here was Neltharion's Prime, his last Prime.

"That is Sintharia," said Ysera. "His last consort. She was the only one to survive mating with him when Deathwing took over his mind."

"Like me," said Calia. "Deathwing...he...did he rape her too?"

"Yes," said Ysera, dipping her head slightly. "Then, he tore her mind, making her nothing more than a mindless slave and egg factory to breed his horrible Twilight Flight. She was slain so that no more twilight dragons could be created. Now, he is alone. He has no one to love and to love him."

Calia sighed and shook her head: "I can't replace this Sintharia. What made him think I could do that?"

"She hated him for what Deathwing did to her," said Ysera. "She disowned her own mate. I don't think she would mind if you did. What love she had for him left centuries ago. He only mourns her death now because it's the first time that he could. Deathwing even prevented that." She looked back to Wyrmrest Temple where Alexstrasza had settled herself inside of. "They must have had a fight. I see such ill temper from him towards Alexstrasza. She believes that she is doing something good, but it's only breaking down the bonds they both shared so long ago. Who else will he no longer trust? It is no wonder why Deathwing was created inside his mind. I am sad for him."

Calia sighed again.

"I don't know if I can do this," she said.

"You can, sister!" Ysera said. "You must! It'll lift his heart to see you."

Ysera started to move into the shrine, but then her head came in contact with the shield with a knock. She leaned down to feel her head, confused as to what she ran into.

"What sort of..." she began. She lifted her claw to the invisible shield around the shrine. "What has my sister done?"

"A magical force field?" asked Calia. "You mean we can't get in?"

"My sister has imprisoned my brother!" Ysera gasped. "Of all the..." Her scaly lips perched tightly as she turned back to Wyrmrest. "Oh, I'm gonna get her! I'll give her the pounding of her life!" She turned to the slumbering dragonkin before her. "And I'll give her flight nightmares too."

"Ysera, how can we break the field?" asked Calia. "Can you do that?"

"No," said Ysera. "I can't, sister. This field was created by the crafting of the Spell-Weaver...the young Spell-Weaver. It seems he's been learning a lot from Malygos' books lately to even be able to trap Neltharion inside his own shrine."

"Why would Alexstrasza do this?" asked Calia.

"She believes what she is doing is right," Ysera said. "But mostly she's just a cranky jerk!" The Dreamer sniffed. "She was never any fun. She always liked playing mother to us all, you know, always saying she knows what's best, nose up in the air. Elitist old crone."

Ysera settled down upon her haunches, leaning back to cross her forelegs.

"Okay, so what do we do?" Calia asked, leaning over to one of Ysera's eyes, holding onto her horn.

Once more, the quirky, giggling expression appeared once more on Ysera's draconic visage and she grinned mischievously at Calia.

"I know!" she announced. "Come with me!"

She took Calia away from the Obsidian Dragon Shrine. Calia held onto her horns, looking back at the saddened form of Neltharion as he became distant, shrouded in the mists of geothermal rumblings and steamy geysers. Then, she turned around to find herself nearing a frosty land mirroring that of the rest of Dragonblight. All around her she saw vast blue-white energies arching towards the sky. There, on the frosty ground were the corpses of blue dragons.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"This is the Azure Dragon Shrine," said Ysera. "Where they go to die. Like the Obsidian Shrine."

"More dragon graveyards..." said Calia. "This is making me depressed all over."

"Don't be!" said Ysera. "It's a part of a dragon's life. Nothing lasts forever."

"Nothing except you Aspects," said Calia.

"No," said Ysera, wagging her head. "Not even Aspects. Would you like to meet big brother Malygos?"

"Uh...isn't he dead?" asked Calia.

"That doesn't stop him from talking," said Ysera. "For now, it seems that only I and Neltharion can hear him. But Kalecgos managed to hear him too, or he wouldn't have joined Alexstrasza in the desert. Malygos has been watching over Neltharion...and you. He likes you, you know. He'll help us."

"That's good..." said Calia. "Okay...uh, how do I talk to him?"

"Malygos!" Ysera called out to the Azure Shrine. "Mean old Alexstrasza told your successor to trap Neltharion in the Obsidian Shrine with a magical field. He can't get out, can you help us free him?"

_My sister did what?_

Calia suddenly felt the rush of the air around her. Her body began to tingle as the magical energies around her fluctuated into a fine point. The energies slowly took form into that of a ghostly blue dragon hovering above her and Ysera. Ysera's face brightened when she beheld the ghostly form of her brother, the former and late Spell-Weaver, Malygos.

_Ysera!_ began Malygos. _It__ is__ so __nice __of __you__ to__ come__ and __visit__ me.__ And __you__'__ve __brought __a__ guest._

"This is Calia," said Ysera.

_I am well aware._

Calia felt the merriment of the dragon flow through her and she felt like laughing with it. She shivered in her cold and still stared up at Malygos, dipping her head.

_Welcome, child. I am happy you have come. I don't get many visitors lately. Sad, really. It seems only Neltharion and Ysera pay attention to me now._

"Only we can hear you!" said Ysera.

_T'is because you two want to hear me. I had to scream at Kalecgos to even go and save my brother in order for him to hear me. And still, he stared at me as if he was taking mushrooms._

"He's still young," said Ysera. "Can you help?"

_I do not have the connection that I once did as the Aspect of Magic. Only Kalecgos has that now. However, I can sense the field around Neltharion. It is strong. He has been snooping around some of my dusty old tomes. Perhaps I should haunt him for that._

"You should!" said Ysera. "And I should punch my sister for trapping Neltharion. What can we do?"

The etherial dragon gave a scratch to his beard and then shook his head.

_Kalecgos __can__ only__ remove__ it,_ said Malygos. _But__ Alexstrasza __will __be __calling __a__ meeting__ of__ the__ Aspects.__ She__ will __release__ Neltharion__ for __that__ meeting.__ It __is__ important __that __you __attend.__ However, __afterwards,__ you __can __certainly __sneak__ him __out __before __Kalecgos __traps __him__ again. __Perhaps __take __him__ to__ the __Dream __to k__eep__ him __away__ from__ Alexstrasza._

"I will be no better than her, then," said Ysera. "I will take him to the Dream, but only to escape my sister. Where they go from there, that is up to him and Calia."

_Perhaps. I am sorry I cannot be of any more help. If only I wasn't...dead, as it were._

"Alex was responsible for that too," said Ysera, puckering her lips again. "She really is mean!"

_Indeed. The eyes of Alexstrasza are everywhere, my dear. You better go back to Neltharion, let him know you wish to help him escape. It'll make him happy. It was lovely to meet you in person, little one. I am glad you can make my brother happy. He needs that. And it seems you do too._

"So you dragons keep reminding me," said Calia with a sigh. "I feel insignificantly ridiculous."

With little more than a breath, the apparition vanished, becoming nothing more than air once more. Ysera backed away reverently from the shrine to once more head back to the Obsidian Shrine. She looked up at the human sitting between her horns.

"Feeling well, sister?" she asked.

"I'm having second thoughts," said Calia. "I still wonder, what would I be to him? We're...so different."

"Didn't stop you from having a child together," said Ysera.

"A monstrous child," said Calia.

"Only because brother was corrupted in body," said Ysera. "He is pure again now. That much good Alexstrasza has done. But he could slip very well back into that corruption if we allow him to fester more in his cage."

"I don't want that to happen," said Calia. "I know what that monster is like."

As they approached the Obsidian Shrine, Ysera called out to Neltharion.

"Big brother! Big brother! I've got a surprise for you!"

Neltharion lifted his head and slowly turned towards Ysera. Calia's eyes widened when she saw him for the first time without the chin brace, without most of his armor. She gasped. There he was, that dark beauty, handsome, stately, hawking features even for a dragon...shared by Lord Prestor. Emerald eyes glistened, wet with tears. But despite that, he was still beautiful to behold.

"What is it, Ysera?" he asked. "Come to mock me too like our sister?"

"No!" said Ysera. "Never! I brought someone to see you."

She lowered her head and Calia slowly slipped off. Neltharion's eyes widened and he wiped them free from his tears.

"Calia?" he asked, saying her name almost like a prayer. "Calia!"

He slowly turned back to Sintharia and then patted her head, saying a silent and loving good bye to her. Then, he made his way to the gate and knelt down to the tiny human before him. He pressed his cheek up against the force field that separated them. Calia came up to the cheek, raising her hands to rest it upon it, but only rested upon the field instead.

"Nel," she said. "I'm here. I...I was worried about you. I'm glad you're well again."

Neltharion braced his black paws against the field, leaning down to her.

"Neltharion," began Calia. "I want to say..." She paused and swallowed. "I want to say that I..."

"Go on!" said Ysera. "You told me. Tell him."

"I...I love you, you big, dopey, doofus," said Calia. "And I love every bit of it."

Neltharion smiled, a tear dropping from his eye: "I love you too."

They stared at each other, looking deep inside of each other's hearts. Neltharion heard the loving thoughts of Calia and he knew those words she spoke were genuine. He could feel whatever hateful feeling he had towards Alexstrasza melt away with the loving warmth of his human wife. And it made him happy to know that she loved him as much as he loved her.

"Nel," said Calia. "We have a plan to get you out. I'm not gonna let Alexstrasza kidnap my husband! Absolutely not. But we have to wait until after the meeting."

Neltharion looked up when he heard the sound of wings flapping towards the shrine. Landing beside Ysera was a massive Blue Dragon. Kalecgos had arrived.

"It's time," he said. He looked down upon the slumbering guards. "Ysera!"

"What?" she asked. "They fell asleep!"

Kalecgos looked up at her, his eyes narrowing.

"Well, they did!" said Ysera in defense of herself. "Alex has lazy guards."

Neltharion and Calia laughed.

The Spell-Weaver shook his head and then touched the field that held Neltharion in his shrine. The field dissipated and the Earth-Warder was freed. Neltharion slowly took a step out and leaned down to Calia. She climbed up upon his neck and settled herself between his wings. Kalecgos sighed and again shook his head.

"Don't think that we didn't know what you two were up to," he said. "In fact this meeting does concern you as well, Princess. So good of you to join us."

He then turned away and launched into the air. Ysera shrugged and took off, following him.

"Get your game face on, Nel," said Calia.

"Already have it," said Neltharion. He craned his neck to look back at her. "So glad you're here, Cali."

"Me too," she said. "Come on, big guy, let's go." She paused and then smiled. "Please?"

Neltharion chuckled deeply and spread his massive black wings. He kicked off the snow and launched into the air, following the two other Aspects back to Wyrmrest.


	18. XVIII

**XVIII**

The Chamber of the Aspects was a massive vault of stone. It was a deep cavern nestled below Wyrmrest Temple. It was here many believed that the Aspects gained their gifts, but in truth, it is here that the Aspects first met each other after their creation. They met face to face for the first time, directed by their creators to bond as brothers and sisters because their combined powers would be the force to protect this world. It was here they focused their powers and felt their connection to each other, a bound that would not be broken for thousands of years. Alexstrasza was the Life, Ysera was Nature and Dreams, Malygos the Magic, Nozdormu the Keeper of Time, and finally, the root in which they all held together, Neltharion, the Earth, the bond that strengthened them. When that bond was broken by Neltharion's betrayal as Deathwing, the others struggled to keep themselves together without him.

Neltharion looked about the chamber, its massive, cavernous size dwarf even him. It was large enough for the Aspects to even fly around. It was lit by unseen sources and provided warmth enough for Calia to shed her riding jacket. The Chamber of the Aspects was set rather close to the mantle of Azeroth, which was why it was so warm. The cavern itself almost seemed to extend for miles in every direction and it could fit several Stormwind Cities with enough room to spare. Neltharion lowered himself down onto the smooth, perfectly sculpted stone floor. He lowered his neck to allowed his tiny companion to slide off his black hide. Once she was off, he raised his head to gently nuzzle her with his snout. Calia gave his snout a pat, giggling as she felt his hot breath tickle her cheek. She heard him rumble pleasantly.

"You are hopeless, you know?" she asked. "A hopeless romantic."

"Only for you," Neltharion smiled.

Calia took in a deep breath: "Still don't believe I admitted all of that...I mean...you...me...will it even work?"

"No harm in trying?" said Neltharion. "And if it does not, I will understand. I know it's going to be difficult for you in the beginning. I think it'll be difficult for me as well."

Neltharion and Calia turned away from each other as Alexstrasza and Ysera finally appeared in the chamber. Following them was Kalecgos Neltharion watched as Alexstrasza positioned herself to his left while Ysera went to her left. Kalecgos came to Neltharion's right.

"We are still missing one," said Alexstrasza. "But I have received word that he will come."

"He has been busy of late," said Kalecgos. "He did not even appear to help us handle Deathwing."

Neltharion took in a deep breath and lowered his head.

"He will come now," said Alexstrasza. She turned towards Neltharion to her right. Once more, there he was, at her right side, her right hand, and standing as her supporter again, at least she hoped. Neltharion's eyes roved over to her and his brows furrowed. He wanted to show just how angry he was at her. She betrayed him, trapped him, treated him like a child and grounding him for doing what he was created to do, protect Azeroth. All because she did not want to loose him.

Neltharion snorted and settled himself down, looking away from Alexstrasza. The cavern came to life with golden flecks of light. A warm wind washed over the four Aspects as the flecks swirled around into a point, forming into a large draconic shape. As the flecks flashed brightly, the form solidified. Covered in glistening bronze scales and a pair of eyes that glowed like two tiny suns, Nozdormu, the Timeless One had entered the Chamber of Aspects. His face appeared to brighten when he looked upon the other four Aspects together after so many thousands of years. There they were, all five Aspects, complete once more.

"Thisss hasss been a long time coming," he rumbled, passing his head from one Aspect to the other. "At lassst, there isss some hope for thisss world. But there isss much division among usss. The Hour of Twilight has changed."

Neltharion lifted up, hearing his eldest brother speak of the Hour of Twilight.

"We all know why these eventsss have happened," said Nozdormu. "Why Neltharion and Malygosss fell to madness. We represent the will of the Titanss, their love, their compassion to make an ordered world of hope and prosperity. And this is what the Old Gods hated the most. Which is why they spent so much energy to separating ussss...in making usss distrust each other..." He turned to both Neltharion and Alexstrasza. "Even despise one another."

Neltharion finally clinched his teeth and huffed a cloud of black smoke from his nostrils: "I was kidnapped by my own damned sister!"

"I know what happened," said Nozdormu. "It does not matter. We are all here, one entity at last."

"You have been busy again, Nozdormu," said Alexstrasza. "What have you been up to? Why call us all here?"

"A fork in the road," said Nozdormu. "At a certain point in time. I have sssent a dear friend and champion of ourssss back to that point time."

As if on cue, a humanoid figure walked out from behind Nozdormu's foreleg. Neltharion's eyes widened and a smile appeared upon his face when he saw the figure.

"Thrall!" he said.

"Greetings, Neltharion," said Thrall, waving at him. "I must say, you look a lot better now without that heavy, metal chin."

Neltharion reached up to his lower jaw and felt it, chuckling lowly.

"I suppose I have my sister to thank for healing my jaw so I wouldn't have to wear it again," he said. Neltharion looked to Alexstrasza. "But that is all I will thank her for."

Alexstrasza frowned at his hurtful statement. She sighed and shook her head.

"Now is not the time to sssquabble, my siblingsss," said Nozdormu. "For time is precioussss to usss."

He looked down to Thrall and gave a nod.

"A moment of time had opened and Nozdormu recruited me for a special assignment," he said. "One that would change the outcome of the Hour of Twilight. I recruited a few adventures I knew and trusted for this task. It involved a lot of time traveling, both to the future and then to the past."

"What did you find there, Thrall?" asked Kalecgos.

"Hope and despair," he replied.

"Where our timeline forked wasss at the Well of Eternity," said Nozdormu. "The very moment the Ssssundering happened. But to get there, we had to travel to the future. Something was preventing ussss from going back in time...the Massster...of the Infinite Dragonflight."

"Moruzond," said Thrall.

"Moruzond?" Neltharion asked. "Why does that sound familiar?"

"It is an anagram of Nozdormu, brother," said Ysera.

"Wait..." Neltharion began, his eyes widened when he looked upon the Timeless One. "You mean that you will become...but...why? Why would you do such a thing?"

"When I was created and given my gift," began Nozdormu. "I was also ssshown how I would die to remind myself that not even my powers could make me greater than anyone else. It was meant to humble me, but instead it became my curse. I knew what would become of you, Neltharion, and I was told that I could not alter it. I wasss not allowed to, just asss I am not allowed to alter my own fate. But...I did try."

"You knew that I would become Deathwing?" Neltharion asked. "You...you knew? And you didn't stop me? For 10 thousand fucking years of torment and pain...and you knew? How could you let me...how could you just sit by? Why didn't you...stop me? I almost made Malygos' flight extinct, I hurt Malygos! I enslaved Alexstrasza to be a breeder for the Horde's army, I raped and killed my consorts, leaving only one to wallow in madness as well, and hatred for me..." He then lowered his head, looking tearfully at Calia. "I even took the innocence of a young girl...who had a whole life to look forward to...and I turned her into a brooding woman who only despised me and wanted my death. My flight hates me and wants me dead, the whole world wants me dead! And you could have stopped it!"

"It wasss meant to happen," said Nozdormu.

"Unforgivable!" Neltharion bellowed, causing the Chamber to tremble violently. "I am lucky to even have received some amount of forgiveness for all the harm I've done. But it all could have been prevented. No one would have had to suffer if you would have done something. You were the only one who could have, Nozdormu."

"For a while, I did not think that thisss all wassss supposed to be," said Nozdormu. "I wassss obsessed with my own death that, I became distant as well. You were not the only one the Old Godsss spoke to. They whispered to me as well. They mocked me, telling me how could Aman'Thul give me such a gift only to show me the curse of it as well? And they promised me that I could prevent it...by becoming the thing that would cause it." He sighed and lowered his head. "But as I was trapped in the timeways, I began to realize that somethingsss cannot be changed no matter how horrible they are. You were meant to become Deathwing, Neltharion, and to do all that you did. For some good came from it. Just as I am meant to eventually become Moruzond. Which is why...I have a successor. When I am gone, he will need your wisdom to help him be the best that he can be. And I know he will grow in all of your grace, my siblings."

Neltharion lowered to the ground, tears flowed from his eyes. Calia placed her hand on his foreleg, patting it. He lifted his head to look at her, his eyes moist.

"Even if it was meant to happen," he said to her. "It still was inexcusable. And I am sorry...so sorry for what I did. I cannot take what happened then back, no matter how much I want to. I would have made you a loving husband if it wasn't for Deathwing's treachery."

"You are my loving husband now," said Calia. "Didn't I say that if it weren't for Deathwing, we would never have met?"

"Yes," he replied.

"Then, Nozdormu is right," she said.

"But here is the good newsss," said Nozdormu. "You were meant to be cured as well. And you have. However, your curing did not change the outcome of the Hour of Twilight, only it's herald. They have chosen another."

"You," said Kalecgos.

"Yesss..." he said. "But in the future, I will be slain for my actionsss. As it should be. That cannot be altered."

"What is this future like?" Neltharion asked.

"It is the Hour of Twilight, most of us are dead," said Thrall. "All that is left are apparitions of those we know. I saw a ghost of Jaina Proudmoore roaming around Dragonblight. The land was dead, burnt, clouds filled the sky. Ash covered the ground. And it was all possessed by the dead, Scourge and Forsaken. I saw you, Neltharion, but before you were finally done away with. You were fighting alone, a loosing battle among the corpses of the other Aspects and then..."

"I came out and sssealed your fate," said Nozdormu.

"You?" Neltharion asked. "You killed me?"

"You died a hero, Neltharion," said Thrall. "Fighting till your very last breath."

"Fighting a battle I could not win," he said. "Only to be killed by my brother during his own madness."

He sighed and looked to the other Aspects. They only stood silently, waiting for the story to end.

"Was that the good news?" Neltharion asked. "Doesn't sound so good to me."

"That was one of the forkssss," said Nozdormu. "The other is one that we are trying to create now. One where the Hour of Twilight doesss not happen." He locked his eyes upon Neltharion. "The pivotal point in which these two events fork startss at the Well of Eternity. And ssso, I sent Thrall to that point to retrieve the item that changed everything."

"Item?" asked Neltharion. He heard the sound of metal jingling as Thrall slowly approached the center of the circle. He held up a golden chain with a perfectly sculpted, golden disk. Neltharion's breath became shallow and his eyes widened. He looked upon the golden disk with horror and shrank from it. Spreading a great black wing, he covered himself with it, trying to hide himself from the disk in Thrall's hand.

"No!" he shouted. "Get that horrid thing away from me! Get it away!"

"Nel?" Calia asked. She looked back to the disk, which only seemed like an innocent looking trinket. Why would this disk give the Black Aspect so much fear?

"Take it away from me!" Neltharion roared. He shrank himself behind Calia, as if to use her as some sort of shield between the innocent golden disk and himself. "Calia, tell him to take it away!"

"What is that?" Calia asked. "Why is he so afraid of it?"

"Has he not told you about the Dragon Sssoul, mortal?" asked Nozdormu.

"The Dragon Soul?" Calia breathed. "That...that's what caused the Sundering, that little thing? I thought it was something...different."

"I...meant it to be that way," said Neltharion. "An innocent looking object, sealed away a great power...and a horrible curse. No one would suspect. It fooled everyone!"

"Queen Azshara, leader of the Night Elves," said Nozdormu. "Used the power of the Dragon Soul to help her forge a link to the Dark Titan Sssargeras. As the Well could not stand any further strain from either the Dragon Soul or Azshara'ssss magic, it collapsed and slowly began to devour Ancient Kalimdor, splitting it into three smaller continentssss, and leaving what is now known as the Maelssstrom in its wake. But just when that event happened, we snatched the Dragon Soul, allowing it to be forever losst in time until now."

"Why have you brought it here?" Neltharion asked. He turned to Alexstrasza. "How could you let him do this? You know what it did to...you...to all of you...and now he presents it to me to take it so it would happen again? Are you going to let him do this? That accursed thing...it..."

"It is your creation, Neltharion," said Alexstrasza. "And we trusted you with creating it to help us fight against the demons. But you turned it upon us as well."

"Deathwing turned it upon you!" Neltharion roared. He reared onto his haunches, claws curling into fists. "By the time he was ready to seal the matrix, I had lost all control of myself. I was nothing more than a shadow! When I began to create it, I thought I was doing good, but as I forged that horrible thing, I began to realize what it was doing to me." He turned back to Thrall. "I don't want that thing near me!"

"From what I saw," began Thrall. "You said otherwise during the Sundering. I heard you scream for it, desiring it."

Neltharion watched as Thrall placed the disk down upon the floor. As he did so, the disk itself began to float just a few feet above the floor, glowing with a brilliant golden light.

"Only I can destroy it," said Neltharion. "Which I will be happy to do so right now!"

"No!" Alexstrasza called, putting her ruby claw upon his broad shoulder. "Wait just a moment." She turned back to Nozdormu. "Why have you brought this here?"

"Thisss device is the key to undoing the Hour of Twilight," said Nozdormu. "When the time comes, you will use it to prevent the Hour of Twilight."

"Me...no!" Neltharion said. "No. I will not touch that blasted thing. Why me?"

"You created it," said Nozdormu. "You know how to use it's full potential."

"And watch Deathwing take me over?" asked Neltharion. "I'm preventing it now. I will not go near that thing."

He got up and separated himself from the others, turning his back upon the Dragon Soul and foldings his wings against his body again.

"How will he use it?" asked Alexstrasza.

"As done so before, we will impart our power to the disk," said Nozdormu. "All except Neltharion, who will part with a drop of his blood to seal the matrix. Because of Azshara's methods, the Dragon Soul has been drained of its powers, and of the darkness within. Now we can give of ourselves to it...empower it...with out the fear of it taking over one of usss." He looked to the sulking Black Aspect. "Namely him."

"Neltharion, if you want to stop the Old Gods, this is the tool," said Thrall. "Use their weapon against them."

Neltharion looked behind him: "And when will that be?"

"When the time comesss..." replied Nozdormu.

"Vague," said Neltharion wit ha huff. "I don't like vague. I like certainties."

"Just as everything had to be aligned correctly to use its powers before," said Nozdormu. "So it must be again. It can not be used in its form now, even if we impart our energies to it. The window of opportunity has not arisen. But until then, you must protect it. No one knows about the simple disk, no one would suspect. As innocent as you created it."

"Big brother?" asked Ysera, craning her neck to peer at the much larger Black Dragon.

Neltharion sighed and then raised his claw to his mouth. Driving a fang into the flesh, he bit hard. Fiery blood flowed from the wound. Neltharion turned around and slowly moved towards the golden disk. He gave one last glance at Calia. She could see the fear in his eyes.

"I'll be here if you need me," she said.

"I don't think you can help me in this," he said.

"Moral support, then?"

"Good enough."

Neltharion lifted his claw to the disk and dripped a few drops of his blood upon its surface. The Dragon Soul slowly began to absorb the blood thirstily. He then swallowed hard and leaned back. All the other Aspects began to move towards it, reaching out. Alexstrasza focused her energy, allowing the disk to begin absorb it. It was barely even a fraction of her power, but it was enough to give. Kalecgos was next, waving his claw over the disk and he felt a part of his own power dive right into it. Next was Ysera, who sent her power into the disk. And then, finally Nozdormu gave of himself. By command the golden disk flew up and hovered just before Neltharion's snout. Neltharion once more shrank back.

"Take it," said Nozdormu.

"No," said Neltharion.

"Just take it," said Thrall. "You'll be surprised about what we've discovered."

Neltharion hesitated as he raised his claw up to the golden disk. Then, with a deep swallow, he gave in and his claw closed in around the disk itself. The Dragon Soul settled, its glowing stopped. Neltharion was expecting those horrible whispers to come and speak to him, taunting him, but no voice sounded. His head was cleared.

"I...I don't hear anything," he said.

"Neither did I," said Thrall.

"Why don't I hear anything?" he asked.

"You did not do what you did to create it before," said Nozdormu. "And so, thisss disk isss not the same as it was before. However, the matrix is there. Thisss is how it wasss supposed to be created. Without the influence of the Old Gods."

"You better be careful with it," said Thrall. "Since you are the one who can destroy it."

"We are trusting you with it," said Alexstrasza. "You said that I have not trusted you enough...here is your chance to prove me wrong, Neltharion."

"We are entrusting a lot in you, Earth-Warder," said Kalecgos. "Don't let us down."

Neltharion looked down upon Calia and she gave a hopeful smile. That is when he lowered the talisman down to her.

"Keep it safe," he rumbled. Calia took the golden disk and placed the chain it was hung from around her neck.

"I will," she said.

"Are we through?" Neltharion asked. "Can I leave to return back to my prison?"

"Oh, Alex!" said Ysera. "Don't do that to him again."

"You both were planning on escaping," said Alexstrasza. "I suppose I should not stop you."

"If you continue your actions, sssister," began Nozdormu. "It will only further drive you both apart. You cannot afford it."

"I just want to keep him safe," said Alexstrasza.

"That is not the way to do it," said Ysera. "Don't lock him up, especially in his own graveyard. That's just cruel."

"Alright," said Alexstrasza. "I won't keep him here against his will. However, there is the matter with his new...consort as it were..."

She leaned her head down to Calia, her golden eyes studying her.

"You have gotten my brother into much trouble as of late, little one," she said. "And he claims you as his mate. Do you share these feelings?"

Calia swallowed before the Dragonqueen and then nodded, straightening her back.

"I do," she said.

Alexstrasza lifted up to look now to Neltharion: "It is vary uncommon that such bonds be formed. However, not unheard of. Kalecgos is one example. I have heard of others as well. Though, she is not like us, Neltharion. She will not have our life span. And she cannot give you a new dragonflight to replace the cursed old one."

"I'm aware of that," said Neltharion.

"Oh, Alex, Aspects aren't the sole progenitors of the flight," said Ysera.

"True, but the strongest do come from us," said Alexstrasza. "There is another reason why I wanted to keep you here." She took in a deep breath and reclined slightly. "We have managed to create a purified black dragon egg, free from the influence of the Old Gods. And now, here you are, also...cured of that same curse."

Neltharion stared at her in confusion and wagged his head.

"Have you not heard them since you came here?" Alexstrasza asked. "Surely during our fight, they would have been whispering all sorts of forked tongued words to you. I've noticed you have not flinched once."

Neltharion still shook his head, silently mouthing to himself.

"Ysera tells me that during your adventure, you heard them," said Alexstrasza. "Many times. And then, something happened in Uldum. When you nearly died. You can't hear them now, can you?"

Neltharion finally wagged his head in response. There were no voices mocking him in his head anymore.

"I am the Earth-Warder, I hear everything that goes on in the deep," he said. "But I can't hear them."

"You're ignoring them," said Alexstrasza. "Which I am glad. We intend on creating more purified black dragons. However, we know it would be best if you were to help in this process."

"How?" Neltharion asked.

"One of my own reds was working with a scientist who discovered a Titan device that can take the curse of the Old Gods away," she replied. "You attacked her cave, and killed her, thinking you were also killing the egg, but the egg survived. It is the first step in saving your flight. Of course the other step would be creating females of breeding age for you to mate with."

"What about my flight that already exists?" Neltharion asked. "I have made contact with one..."

"Not enough," said Alexstrasza. "Not enough. This is at least reliable."

"So, what are you saying?" Calia asked, stepping forward. "Just killing those that don't meet your standards?"

"That sounds familiar..." Neltharion growled. "Something that I said once..."

"If there are those who will step forward and renounce the Old Gods," began Kalecgos. "Then they should have that right to do so."

Alexstrasza shifted again: "Let them, but if they are willing to step forward, then they should go to Neltharion first and he present them to me. However, we will still go with this plan."

"And you want me to breed with these females you will create?" Neltharion asked. "Basically, you would turn me into what I had the Horde turn you into, Alex? Technically a breeding factory for your new clean black dragonflight?" He looked away. "I suppose pay back's a bitch, then."

"No, that's not what I'm suggesting," she said. "Despite what you did to me as Deathwing, I would never ask that of you. But we do need black dragons as much as we need dragons of all the other five colors. You will be creating a stronger flight, a purified flight that would be able to stand with us when the time comes. That is what we want. It will all be done by proxy. But we do need your..seed."

Calia started to giggle and Neltharion turned his head to her. She gave him a pat on the paw.

"Do you need me to get the scented lotion and the porno magazines, honey?" she asked.

Neltharion's eyes widened in astonishment and his jaw dropped.

"What, that's what they do at the 'bank'," she said.

"Ow..." he groaned, smacking his head with his own claw. He looked to Alexstrasza who kept a straight face. Ysera was giggling much like Calia, however, both Nozdormu and Kalecgos shared Alexstrasza's serious expression. He shook his head at Ysera. "That's not funny."

"You're so silly, big brother," Ysera giggled.

Neltharion lowered his head in defeat: "There are times when I hate this family..." Giving his head a shake, he looked up at Alexstrasza. "Alright, I'll...supply you with...donations. But I want something in return."

"Yay!" Ysera said with glee. "Nozdormu, can you do it?"

"Can he do what?" asked Calia.

"Do you even know what I'm asking for?" Neltharion asked.

"You want her to share your life, right?" Ysera asked. "And we'll do that in return for your help."

"Alright, acceptable trade..." he said. "Calia?"

"What are you asking?" Calia asked.

"I believe it's the same thing that he did for the Night Elves," said Thrall, looking back up at the Timeless One. "Giving them a form of immortality."

Nozdormu's body shimmered with a brassy light and his form slowly shrank down. What once stood there as an enormous bronze dragon, now was replaced by a bearded High Elf with auburn hair and dressed in elaborate robes that reflected his draconic nature. He had a slight crooked smirk on his face, but he was no less noble.

"My gift to the Night Elves to pay for the damage Neltharion did those 10 thousand years ago," said Nozdormu. "I bound their age with the World Tree and ssso long as that tree remained whole, they would never die of old age, nor would they die from sickness. However, they ssstill could be killed off, for it was not true immortality. Neltharion, in three hundred years, the Embrace will happen. Before then, you mussst make a choice to remain as you are, or finally give up your life and power to another. It isss your choice."

Neltharion's eyes lowered: "I have lived with the tormenting voices of the Old Gods for much longer than 10 thousand years. I don't know if I have the strength to continue on as I am with that history despite not hearing them now. Would this affect the outcome of the Hour of Twilight?"

"That event will happen much sssooner than the Embrace," said Nozdormu. He raised up his hand as he approached Calia. "Do not make the decision now. You have time. Live for today and today only. For it will never be lived again."

"What is this thing you want to give me?" Calia asked. "What exactly are you talking about?"

"He needs you," said Ysera. "To remind him of his duties, and his strength. I told you, you are the one who can chase Deathwing away."

"And he needs to stay gone," said Nozdormu. "Which is why I am willing to grant you timelessness. Timelessness does not mean immortality. It only means you will never die of old age, nor will you age. But you can still die by other meanssss. You will not become more powerful, or sssstronger, or faster. You can still die by the sword, the gun, or by lack of food and drink. But your age will be locked to Neltharion's. When he dies, your timelessness will be lost. You will begin to age as normal humanssss would, entropy will overcome you. If you wish to remain healthy, you will do as you have always done, as any normal human does."

"Your brother gained a form of immortality as well," said Ysera. "By becoming the Lich King. It did not last long, but he did gain it. This thing is not impossible to possess. However, we are offering you something better than what your brother had. With it, you will remain by Neltharion's side as he will remain by yours...until death do you part...as it were."

"No kidding," said Calia.

"You don't have to do it if you don't want to," said Neltharion. "I will understand."

"Yeah, but I can't leave you alone for one minute," said Calia, looking up at him, swiping a lock of her hair away from her face. "Big dumb idiot like you? The moment I'm six feet under, you'll fall flat on your face. And I don't think you want to deal with adult diapers when I get old, gray-haired, and wrinkly. Or me constantly complaining about my joints."

"Uh, I'll go through all trials so long as I'm with you, my love," said Neltharion.

"I'll take that as a 'no'," said Calia. "You're a bad liar too, Nel!" She looked back to Nozdormu. "I'm not looking forwards to gray hair, adult diapers, and being abandoned to an old folk's home with idiot nurses either. Why not? I'll probably end up getting myself killed in battle anyway, why not take away the problems of growing old? Go ahead, do it."

Nozdormu raised his hand and placed it upon her shoulder. Calia felt nothing, no energy being passed from him to her, though there was a spark of gold under his palm. When it was done, he stepped back and nodded with a smirk.

"Your life is now bound to Neltharion's," he said. "But do remember to take care of yoursssself and each other for this bond will require you both to rely upon each other even more."

"I don't feel any different," said Calia.

"You will notice it more when you sssstart reaching the age when most people of your species starts to feel their age," said Nozdormu.

"Ah," said Calia. "So, I'm basically stuck at the age of 30. For as long as Nel's alive...not that I'm complaining."

"You look beautiful in your 30s," said Neltharion.

"And you're still a big doofus," she said. Calia smiled at him. "But you're my doofus. I suppose that counts for something."

As Nozdormu stepped back, he returned to his dragon form.

"There isss still much to be done," he said. "I am needed by my flight. I bid all of you farewell."

With that, he vanished much like the way he came, becoming glistening sand and fading away. Neltharion took in a deep breath and once more peered down at Calia.

"Nozdormu is right, there is still much to be done," said Alexstrasza. "But we have accomplished much today. I am happy that we are five once more. It really is like old time again."

"Those days are gone," said Neltharion. "But we are five again. And I will not betray any of you...ever. No matter how much some of you piss me off." He growled at Alexstrasza. "Am I free to go now?"

"I suppose I can now trust that your consort will keep you in line," said Alexstrasza. She turned to Calia. "This is the task I charge you with now, Princess. He is your responsibility and I hold you to it."

"I suppose someone has to make sure he behaves himself," said Calia. She looked to Neltharion who was scratching his snout and gave his paw a swat. "Don't pick your nose!"

As they existed the chamber, Neltharion stretched his wings and looked out over the bleak, frozen tundra. He leaned down for Calia to climb on and then once he felt her settled between his wings, he lifted back up. Thrall walked up to the both of them, with a smile on his face.

"I hope you've still considered my offer to join the Earthen Ring," he said.

"I have," said Neltharion. "And I accept. I wish to do all I can to help you mend the world I broke."

"I'm glad to hear it," said the Orc. "I'll let Muln Earthfury know. Before I went on my little trip through time, I had already met up with him about getting you to join. After I told him that you were no longer the Destroyer, he said that he would be happy to have you on board, after he gives you a test of loyalty."

"I had a feeling that would come up," said Neltharion.

"But he still wants you to come," said Thrall. "I shall let him know that you have agreed to join us. We are dedicated in healing this world."

"And I hope to help you in doing that," said Neltharion.

Kalecgos walked over to Thrall, and leaning down so that he could mount up on the Blue Dragon's broad shoulders. As the Blue Aspect leaned up, he turned to Neltharion.

"I am sorry for helping Alex kidnap you," sad Kalecgos. "But we did have good intentions. And I'm sorry I thought you were slipping back into insanity when you said you could hear Malygos. He's still waiting for that story, you are more than welcomed to come and tell it to him."

"Thank you, young Spell-Weaver," said Neltharion. Then, he rubbed a paw against his leg, knocking loose a black scale. "Thrall, I want to give you something."

Lifting the scale up, he dropped it into Thrall's waiting hand.

"My brothers and sisters gave you their scales, saying that if you ever need them, you can call upon them," Neltharion began. "I wish to give that to you as well. My flight may not hear your call, but I know I will. If you need me, just call."

"Thank you, Earth-Warder," said Thrall. He placed the scale into a leather pouch along with the four other scales he received from the other Aspects. Then, Kalecgos took off for the sky, heading for the Nexus.

"I hope we're not living here," said Calia. "I don't really like the cold."

"This is not my home," said Neltharion. "Actually, since I am no longer Deathwing, I don't have a home anymore."

"So, I guess this means you're moving in with me?"

"If that is fine with you?"

Calia took in a deep breath: "It is. But I have one rule to make. Since I'm the breadwinner, that makes you the house wife."

"What?" Neltharion asked. "I have a job..."

"Being an Aspect doesn't pay the rent," said Calia. "Or anything else for that matter."

"I know where diamonds are..." he said.

"I don't want to live that life anymore, Nel," said Calia. "As much as we can despite being an odd couple, we're going to live like normal married folk...despite the fact I'm the one with the job, and you're stuck at home doing the cleaning, the cooking, and the laundry."

"Well...I..." Neltharion as he began to walk away from Wyrmrest Temple.

"And I don't want you cooking anything with that bad breath of yours," said Calia. "I don't like burnt food...or anything else for that matter. So you better learn how to cook."

"I think I need a drink..." he sighed, taking off into the air.

"And that's another thing my hubby's gonna do," began Calia, holding onto his adamantine spine plates. "Going to that damned rehab meeting! 'Hello, my name's Neltharion, and I'm an alcoholic with hiccups that cause earthquakes.'"

Neltharion growled in frustration, snorting out volcanic ash and smoke from his nostrils. He caught the warm thermal, angling his wings towards the south, towards Theramore Isle.


	19. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Within the coming weeks since Neltharion's return to Kalimdor, he had returned to Uldum to finally complete the task he promised the Ramkahen Tol'vir. He battled the Elemental Lord Al'Akir and slain him. It was a signal to the Old Gods that Neltharion was not going to be returning to them as Deathwing. It was a symbol as well that he was going to do everything he can to either find a way to destroy them, or send them back to slumber where they belong. And for his deeds, he had gained the respect and trust of an entire people. It was the first Neltharion hoped in many loyalties he would earn. For now, he returned to Theramore Isle, to live in a small townhouse by the beach. Unfortunately, that beach was facing the Maelstrom. Neltharion, while Calia was away in her own duties with Stormwind, would watch silently on that beach, looking upon the Maelstrom. He wondered if he could fix it as well, but as Thrall and Aggra reminded him, somethings cannot be fixed. Around his next was the Dragon Soul, looking like nothing more than a harmless disk. No one ever thought more about it, thinking it was a trinket that Calia had bought for her strange draconic husband. Neltharion wanted it to remain that way.

Calia came home one day to find her husband staring out at the ocean towards the Maelstrom again. Neltharion touched the golden disk around his neck and shook his head. He turned around to find her with a soft smile on her face.

"No matter how long you look at it, it's not going to go away," she said.

"I can't help it," said Neltharion. He sighed heavily and lumbered over to her. He wrapped his scaly forelegs around her, gently nuzzling her with his snout. Calia wrapped her arms around him.

"I know," she said. "You made a mistake back then...and it still hurts a little."

"I just wish I could fix it," he said.

"It doesn't need fixing," said Calia. She leaned away from him, pulling herself out of his arms. "Most of this place doesn't need fixing. Things change. Sometimes, it's bad, sometimes its good. But things do change. And some things can't be fixed. Not many people know you had a hand in that, so, don't worry about it."

Neltharion's head wagged heavily. Calia took hold of his head.

"Keep reminding yourself, everything is going to be alright," she said. "Take the bad with the good, right? And I don't want a sulky husband. That's not what I agreed to when I said 'I do'."

Neltharion chuckled deeply. Then, he felt her pull him close. Their lips met in a deep, passionate kiss. It was genuine this time. He wrapped his forelegs about her, melting into her embrace and she held him close to her. She could feel that tingle, that spark when their lips met. And she enjoyed every minute of it. Calia slowly pulled away, and Neltharion licked his lips. He braced his cheek against hers, deeply purring.

"You are a hopeless doofus," she whispered. "You know that?"

"I'm your hopeless doofus," said Neltharion. "You didn't have to do this for me, you know...you could have gone to live your life."

"Yeah, well, I didn't want to break your heart either," said Calia. "And...that life I wanted to live, it really was me wanting to live it with you. You were sort of my fairytale prince back then."

"And you're my knight and shining armor," said Neltharion.

Calia laughed: "Ysera's right, you are silly."

"I'm serious," said Neltharion. "Calia, you have rescued me from a horrible monster. I really couldn't have defeated him without you." He pressed his cheek against hers once more. "It's been years since I've been this happy. And I'm glad that you were able to give it to me."

Calia leaned into him, laying her head against his neck.

"You see, something good did come from Deathwing..." she whispered. "You and me."

"And I suppose I wouldn't want to change it any other way," Neltharion purred. "It's just so sad that it took that monster to bring us together. The horrible things he's done..."

"Horrible things that helped shape this world," said Calia. "We are stronger for it."

Neltharion took in a deep breath and laid his chin on her head.

"I know I am stronger for it..." he whispered.

His eyes once more fell upon the golden disk that hung from his neck. Neltharion's eyes narrowed as he looked upon the disk with uncertainty. As the sun began to set, its rays flashed across the surface, giving the disk a fiery gleam and shining into the Black Dragon's eyes.


End file.
